CHAUCER 



THE PROLOGUE TO THE CANTERBURY TALES 

THE KNIGHTES TALE 

THE NONNES PREESTES TALE 



■?&&&■ 



CHAUCER 

THE PROLOGUE TO THE CANTERBURY TALES 

THE KNIGHTES TALE 

THE NONNES PRESTES TALE 

EDITED IN CRITICAL TEXT 
WITH GRAMMATICAL INTRODUCTION 

BEING AN ELEMENTARY GRAMMAR OF MIDDLE ENGLISH 

• NOTES AND GLOSSARY 

BY 

MARK H. LIDDELL 
i 

RECENTLY PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH IN THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS 
ASSOCIATE EDITOR OF THE "GLOBE" CHAUCER 






THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 

LONDON: MACMILLAN & CO., Ltd. 
I9OI 

All rights reserved 



Library of Congress 

Iwo Copies Received 

FEB 16 1901 

. Copyright entry 

SECOND COPY 



is- 



Copyright, 1901, 
By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. 



Nortoooo Press 

J. S. Cushing & Co. — Berwick & Smith 

Norwood Mass. U.S.A. 



PREFACE 

Thts book has been prepared primarily for class-room 
use. It has grown out of a need felt by the author for a 
brief and practical statement of the fundamental principles 
of Middle English Grammar as they affect Chaucer's Eng- 
lish, combined with a trustworthy text of some of the best 
of Chaucer's writing, through which students might obtain 
an introduction to Middle English literature. No book 
of this sort, containing the most recent results of scholar- 
ship in this field and written in English for English-speaking 
students, is now accessible to either teacher or student. 
And because of this want students are allowed to put into 
Chaucer's mouth a sort of broken English that is no more 
like his own easy-running deftly shaded speech than is the 
broken German of a schoolboy who has had a six months' 
course in Ollendorf like the language of Goethe and Schiller. 
We should laugh at the reader of Wordsworth who should 
produce what would be represented in New English spell- 
ing by, 

" Ee wondred lawnely ass a cloody " 
as his version of 

" I wandered lonely as a cloud." 
Yet worse travesties of Chaucer's speech than this of 



vi PREFACE 

Wordsworth's are allowed to pass muster in our reading 
and so-called appreciation of the Canterbury Tales. 

The work naturally divides itself in two parts, a general 
survey of Middle English Grammar as represented 'by 
Chaucer, and a critical text of the Prologue, Knightes Tale, 
and Nonnes Frees tes Tale, with Notes and Glossary. A full 
index has been added to the grammar, so that it may be 
readily used for purposes of reference. 

Much pains has been spent upon the text, which has 
been carefully collated with the copies of the Mss. printed 
by the Chaucer Society, studied in the light of their now 
known relations. The Ellesmere Ms. has been taken for 
the basis, because it and the Hengwrt are the only Mss. 
which consistently represent Chaucer's inflections, and the 
Hengwrt is in some respects inferior to the Ellesmere text. 
It would have been well to have printed the cesural pauses 
as they are found in these Mss. But the principle followed 
is to give as few aids as possible in the text itself, and thus 
force the student to a continual application of his knowl- 
edge of Middle English in general. For that reason no 
marks save those of ordinary punctuation have been used. 
The essential variants (and by ' essential ' is meant those that 
are not mere permissible variations of spelling or obvious 
corruptions of inferior Mss. whose originals are known) are 
given in each instance at the foot of the page. The stu- 
dent should not try to make use of them, however, until 
he has mastered the relations of the Mss. (see pp. cxix ff.). 

It is a matter of regret that the notes had to be made so 



PREFACE VII 

brief. Chaucer requires more annotation than Middle Eng- 
lish poets generally do \ for much of his naivete is quite 
unintelligible without an explanation of the allusions and 
associations involved. It is to be regretted also that an 
account of Chaucer's works, the dates of their composition, 
their sources and characteristics, the relations of the Mss. 
in which they have come down to us, etc., could not be 
included. But the book has had to be kept within text- 
book limits, and these subjects will be found treated with 
reasonable clearness and accuracy in the Globe Chaucer, 

In preparing the Glossary and the Index I have been 
greatly helped by one of my pupils in the University of 
Texas, Miss Mary Heard. As to indirect obligations, my 
chief one is to the teaching of Professor Napier, of Oxford, 
and of the late Professor Zupitza, of Berlin, who first made 
me see the real meaning of scientific method in English 
study. My indebtedness to Dr. Furnivall's life of untiring 
and unselfish zeal in making Chaucer material accessible 
to Chaucer students is one which is so obvious as scarcely 
to need explicit recognition in a book like this. 

In conclusion, I might say almost with discouragement 
that the best part of a good school book is in the teacher 
who uses it, and that after all mere print can do little to 
vitalize the knowledge of our language and literature as 
they should be vitalized for us. Much, therefore, will 
depend on the teacher, to whom the book is offered as a 
help toward the accomplishment of this great end. 



CONTENTS 



Elements of Middle English Grammar: page 

Introduction ix-x 

Sounds ......... xi-xxxvi 

Inflection ......... xxxvii-lxxi 

Syntax lxxii-lxxxiii 

Versification ....... lxxxiv-xcvii 

Grammatical Index ........ xcix 

Chaucer's Life cix 

The Mss. of the Canterbury Tales cxix • 

The Text: 

The Prologue ......... I 

The Knightes Tale 32 

The Nonnes Preestes Tale . . . . . . .111 

Explanatory Notes 139 

Glossary J83 

viii 



THE ELEMENTS OF MIDDLE ENGLISH GRAM- 
MAR WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO 
CHAUCER'S IDIOM 

Introductory Note. — In the following treatment of Chaucer's lan- 
guage the effort has been made to present the subject in such a way 
that the book may be used as an elementary grammar of Middle 
English. The dialects have, therefore, been kept in the background, 
and Chaucer's speech has been assumed to be normal Middle English. 

While the grammar is reasonably complete, it is by no means ex- 
haustive. The subject-matter has been condensed into the briefest 
possible space, and much has been left to the teacher to expand and 
illustrate. 

The treatment is historical, and the student who would use the book 
to the best advantage should start with a knowledge of the rudiments 
of Old English, especially of Old English Inflections. The chapter on 
Sounds is treated in a rigidly historical way, starting from Old English. 
But there is inserted into it (§§ 9-45) a very brief and summary dis- 
cussion of the relation of New English sounds to those of Middle 
English, so that the student who knows no Old English can work back 
to Chaucer's English from his knowledge of his own speech. If he 
does this circumspectly and systematically, he will soon learn to appre- 
ciate the difference between the writing of New English (which is 
to a large extent the representation of New English words by their 
Middle English equivalents) and the actual living forms of New 
English. The chapters on Inflection, Syntax, and Versification can 
easily be mastered without any knowledge of the corresponding sub- 
jects of Old English Grammar, and have been written with that intent. 

The illustrative material is drawn almost entirely from the Prologue 
and Knightes Tale, as that is the part of Chaucer best adapted to 
elementary teaching. The Arabic numerals, when no further reference 
is given, refer therefore to Group A of the Canterbury Tales ; the 
other references are to the Globe Chaucer, a copy of which the student 
should have easy access to. 

ix 



INTRODUCTORY NOTE 



The following signs and abbreviations have been used : — 



> 
< 

+ 



develops into, 
developed from, 
followed by. 
the same as. 
rhvmes with. 



ABC The ABC. 

A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I The respec- 
tive groups of the Canterbury 
Tales. 

adj. adjective. 

adv. adverb. 

Angl. Anglian dialects. 

Astro. The Astrolabe. 

Bo. The Boece. 

cf., or cp. compare. 

Co. Ms. Corpus Christi (Oxford), 
198. 

Compl. The Compleynt vnto Pite. 

C.T. or Cant. T. The Canterbury 
Tales. 

e. early. 

E.E.T.S. The Early English Text 
Society. 

El. The Ellesmere Ms. 

E. Midi. East Midland. 

fem. feminine. 

Gg. Ms. Gg. 4. 27 (Camb. Univ. 
Libr.). 

Gl. Ch. Globe Chaucer. 

H 4 . Ms. Harleian (Brit. Mus.), 

7334- 
Hn. Ms. 

154. 
Ho. of F. 



Hengwrt (Peniarth), 



The Ho us of Fame. 



inf. infinitive. 

Kn. or Kt. Kentish. 



under a letter denotes that it 
is not sounded in the verse. 
* denotes an assumed word- 
form. 
a, e, see pp. cxix ff. 

1. late. 

Leg., or Leg. of G. W. The The 

Legend of Goode Women. 
Ln. Ms. Lansdowne (Brit. Mus.), 

851. 

masc. masculine. 

M.E. Middle English. 

Merc. Mercian. 

M.L.G. Middle Low German. 

Mss. Manuscripts. 

N.E. New English. 

O.E. Old English. 

O.Fr. Old French. 

O.H.G. Old High German. 

O.N. Old Norse. 

Pe. Ms. Petworth (Lord Lecon- 

field). 
pp. past participle, 
pres. present, 
pret. preterite. 
R. of R. The Romaunt of the 

Rose. 
sb. substantive (noun), 
st. strong. 

S.W. South Western. 
Tro., or T. &. C. Troilus and 

Criseyde. 
vb. verb, 
wk. weak. 
W. Midi. West Midland. 



PART I. — SOUNDS 

THE DIALECTS OF MIDDLE-ENGLISH 

§ i. The history of English may be roughly divided into 
three periods, — 

Old-English (O.E.), up to 1125 a.d. 
Middle-English (M.E.), 1125-1550 a.d. 
New-English (N.E.), 1550 to the present day. 

Chaucer's English stands near the middle of the middle 
period. The chief characteristic which distinguishes M.E. 
from O.E. is the weakening of the full vowels a, <?, and u in 
unaccented syllables to e. But the language has undergone 
many other changes by the time it gets into Chaucer's 
hands. A number of vowels that were short in O.E. are now 
long, and some O.E. long vowels have been shortened ; 
changes have occurred, too, in the quality of the vowels, 
giving rise to new sounds unknown to O.E. ; the inflection 
system has been simplified ; many old words have taken on 
new meanings, and many new ones have been added from 
Romance and Scandinavian sources ; syntax has become 
more flexible, more versatile ; and a new metrical system of 
versification is rapidly taking the place of the old alliterative 
rhythm. 

§ 2. The Dialects of Middle-English. — The four dialects 
of O.E. split up into five in M.E., viz., Northern (N.), East 
Midland (E. Midi.), West Midland (W. Midi), South West- 
ern (S.W.), and Kentish (Kn.), all of which were during 
the M.E. period in use as vehicles of literary expression. 



xii THE MIDDLE-ENGLISH SOUND SYSTEM § 2 

Already in Chaucer's day, however, the dialect of London, 
which nearly corresponded to the E. Midi, speech, the his- 
torical successor of the O.E. of Mercia, was beginning to 
be looked upon as standard English. By the middle of the 
following century it was recognized as the standard dialect 
of literature, and has remained so to this day. Chaucer's 
language, therefore, E. Midi, with some Kn. forms, is in its 
outward aspect more nearly like modern English than the 
other M.E. dialects are. 

THE SOUNDS OF CHAUCER'S ENGLISH 

§ 3. The Vowels were as follows : — 

a . . . sounded as in father e.g. bathed, 3. 

a . • . sounded as in German mann (a rare 

sound in Mn. E.) e.g. that, I. 

e (close) sounded as a in name or ea in break, 
without the slight /-sound which fol- 
lows and makes these sounds diph- 
thongal (neim, breik) ; * not heard in 
Mn. E e.g. sl<?pen, 10. 

\ (open) sounded as ea in breath protracted . . e.g. Iwth, 6. 

e . . . sounded as e in met e.g. h^m, 18. 

i (y) . . sounded as i in machine or e in he, or 

ie in field e.g. sh/res, 15. 

1 (y) . . sounded as i in pin (perhaps somewhat 

closer) e.g. h/s, 5. 

o (close) sounded as in note, without the slight 

w-sound which follows e.g. r^^te, 2. 

q (open) sounded as a in all, oa in broad, or aw 

in law e.g. euerych^n, 31. 

o . . . sounded as in not, hot e.g. cn?ppes, 7. 

u (ou, ow, o) . sounded as 00 in boot, fool . . e.g. dr^ghte, 2; 

fades, 9; 
fiour, 4. 

1 See § 37. 



§5 SOUNDS xiii 

fi (o) 1 . sounded as u in full e.g. s<?nne,7; iu\,22. 

u . . . sounded as in Fr. user e.g. vertw, 4. 

u . . . sounded as U, but with short quantity . e.g. Caunterbwry, 27. 
e in unaccented syllables had probably the sound 
of a very wide and open 1, cf. § 78. 

§ 4. The Diphthongs were as follows : — 

ai (ay) . sounded as i in pine, line .... e.g. day, 19. 

au (aw) . sounded as ou in house e.g. draughte, 135. 

ei (ey) . is the same as ai {ay) in Chaucer . e.g. a\way, 353. 

eu (ew) = e + u sounded together with em- 
phasis on the first element . . . e.g. knew, 240. 

<£u (ew) = \ -f u sounded together with empha- 
sis on the first element . . . . e.g \ewed, 502. 

oi (oy) . sounded as in boy, noise .... e.g. coy, 119. 

ou (ow) = + u sounded together with empha- 
sis on the first element, nearly as 
in know 2, e.g. vnkn^we, 126. 

§5. The Middle-English Consonant-Sounds were nearly 
the same as those of N.E. But there were no " silent " 
consonants as in N.E., 3 save that gn probably represented 
simple n. r was trilled. Medial and final h (written gh in 
M.E.) after a palatal vowel had the sound of German ch in 
ich, and after a guttural vowel the sound of German ch in 
ach} s and th (also written />) when medial between vowels 
and next voiced consonants were voiced {i.e. had the sound 
of s and th in N.E. those) ; when final and next voiceless 

1 See § 6 for writing of u and of u. 

2 Theoretically there are three different ou diphthongs in M.E. 
according as the first element is 0, 0, or ; the first two of these 
Chaucer rhymed together, but ou had a sound different from either, and 
has always remained different; cf. N.E. thought (Orm. pohhte) and 
N.E. grozv (O.E. growan). 

3 Such consonants in N.E. are due to preserving M.E. forms of spelling. 

4 These sounds are still heard in the dialects of Scotland. 



xiv THE MIDDLE-ENGLISH SOUND-SYSTEM § 5 

consonants they were voiceless {i.e. had the sound of s in N.E. 
this, and th in N.E. thing)} For peculiarities of writing see § 8. 

§ 6. The Writing of Chaucer's English. — The vowels 
were represented as in the examples cited in § 3, which 
are taken from the Ellesmere Ms. of the Prologue. The 
long vowels a, e, and 6 are frequently written double ; 2 
but the scribes make no attempt to distinguish between 
£ and e, q and q, until the end of the M.E. period. Long u 
is written on. H always before n or m or u, and sometimes 
after c (as in coppe 134) or w (as in worthy 43), is written o. 
u before a consonant is usually written v. u before gh is 
often (especially in the Ellesmere Ms.) written o; some- 
times also in French words before n f e.g. nations 53, sesons 
347. i and y are practically interchangeable in Chaucer 
Mss. : y is especially frequent before n, m, or u? a before 
n or ;// and a consonant in words of French origin is 
sometimes written an. 

§ 7. The representation of the diphthongs is that given 
in the examples cited in § 4. The last element of the 
diphthong is generally written y or w when final or before 
a following vowel ; but sometimes w appears before a con- 
sonant, e.g. bawdryk 116, wan tow ne 208. ou (like 011 = u) 
is sometimes written before gh ; e.g. 7ioght^66 y wroght^G^ 
foghten (Hn.) 62. 

1 But there are in M.E. some words of French origin where the s 
is intervocalic with the voiceless sound, though in these cases good 
scribes generally wrote c ; cf. auarice, office 292, with seruyse (: arise) 
250, coueitise ( : deuyse) A 3883 ; so chastise, despise. But Iustise, 
seruise, suffise sometimes appear in El. with c. 

2 Instead of ee> ie frequently appears in late M.E., and is retained 
in many N.E. spellings ; e.g.jie/d, believe. In some words of French 
origin, e is written eo in M.E., a spelling still retained in N.E. people. 

3 It is not used to denote long f, as is frequently stated; cf. thries 
El. 63, riden El. Co. Pet. 45, etc. 



§8 SOUNDS XV 

§ 8. As to the consonants. / (= N.E. j) occasionally 
represented i before a consonant, e.g. Line (El.) 41; and 
regularly the palatal sound of g {dzh) before a, 0, and u in 
words of French origin, e.g. /<?)'<?, ///§?, — in this position it 
was sometimes written i. v (i.e. voiced f) was usually- 
written // before a following vowel, e.g. yeue. {> (printed th 
in the text) represented both the voiced and voiceless dental 
spirant, as in N.E. thing and they ; in the Ellesmere Ms. /> is 
only used occasionally in small words like fiat, A?, etc. J of 
the Mss. represents the sound of y in N.E. young, and also 
gh, and is printed y or g/i in the text in accordance with 
the history of the words in which it occurs ; it sometimes, 
also, represents -es after / in words of French origin, e.g. 
pbyntj 2971, seruantj 101; and in a few words French 
voiced s, in which case it is printed z. c in words of French 
origin represented the s-sound before palatal vowels ; l before 
guttural vowels and consonants it retained its O.E. value 
of k. k represented the £-sound before n, before palatal 
vowels, and generally when doubled or final, ch always 
had the sound of N.E. ch in church, cch is the doubling 
of ch (cf. N.E. tch). sch, sh, ssh denoted the sound of 
N.E. sh. g represented the voiced guttural stop (i.e. the 
sound of g in N.E. good) before consonants and guttural 
vowels in native English words : O.E. g before palatal vowels 
had become M.E. y (see § 80); £• therefore has the palatal 
sound (viz. that of dge in N.E. bridge) only before palatal 
vowels in words of French origin, 2 e.g. gai, geste ; before 
a, o, and u in such words the palatal g-sound is represented 



1 In this position O.E. c had generally > M.E. ch ; so there was no 
danger of confusion (cf. § 79 (a)). 

2 Except in a few words of Scandinavian origin, like giue, gete, 
where it is guttural. 



XVI THE MIDDLE-ENGLISH SOUND-SYSTEM § 8 

by /- 1 gg in English words had usually the palatal sound ; 
in the few cases where a guttural vowel follows the gg in 
O.E., or where it is of O.N. origin, it is guttural, z.g.frogge, 
O.E.frogga. gn in Chaucer practically represents n. y as 
a consonant represented the sound of y in N.E. young (i.e. 
/; cf. § 80 (a)), ci, ^'represented s + i; e.g. na-ci-oun, 
con-di-ci-on (not nei-sh?n, etc.). /// likewise was simply 
t+u' y e.g. na-tu-re, cre-a-tu-re, etc. (not riei-ch?r, etc.). 



A COMPARISON OF THESE SOUNDS WITH THOSE OF NEW 
ENGLISH 

The fact that we still use so many of the written forms 
of Chaucer's time to represent New-English words which 
are entirely different, makes it difficult for the student to 
avoid putting his New-English into the mouth of Chaucer. 
A clear statement, therefore, of the differences between 
Middle-English sounds and those of New-English may not 
be out of place here. With a knowledge of these differences 
it will be easy in most cases to come near the sound of 
Chaucer's words, even though the student be unfamiliar 
with Old-English. 

§ 9. The vowels of stressed syllables. — a became <£ in 
the seventeenth century ; cf. M.E. man, that with N.E. 
'maen,' < thaet.' But 

(a) a+l final and /+cons. in the sixteenth century 
developed an u before the / and united with it in the 
diphthong au, which has become q along with other 



1 g in the combination ng had the palatal sound in M.E., when ay 
followed in Germanic. The sound is still preserved in N.E. in these 
cases, and written -nge ; e.g. M.E. sengen (Gmc. *sang?an), N.E. 
singe as compared with M.E. singen, N.E. sing. 



§ ii SOUNDS xvii 

au's (cf. § 24), e.g. N.E. 'q1,' ' £q1,* as against 
Chaucer's alle,falle. 

(b) before r final and r followed by a consonant 
N.E. a has the sound of M.E. a followed by p 1 ; if 
before a vowel (rr may be mere indication of short- 
ness of a preceding vowel), it follows the regular 
development of a \ cf. bark (' baark ') with barret 
('bseral') < M.E. £0/?/. 

(c) e.M.E. a before a nasal + cons. >£(cf. § 61). 

(d) # was lengthened to a in the last part of the six- 
teenth century before st, sk, sp, th, ss. 2 

(e) w rounds a following a into q (when unstressed, p), 
except before a following guttural consonant ; cf. 
squadron ('skwodran') and wag ('waeg'). 

§ 10. a has become a diphthong in N.E., viz. ei 9 with 
the stress on the first element; 3 cf. M.E. ;/*£&?> N.E. 
'meik/ M.E. Marie > N.E. 'Meiry,' M.E. dame > N.E. 
'deim.' Shakspere still uses a number of the a-forms. 

§ 11. e has remained unchanged; except that 

(a) before r and a consonant, M.E. e in many instances 
has developed into an^, e.g. M.E. sfer re >N.E. star* ; 

and that 

(b) the late M.E. development through which e > 1 
+ ng, nk in many words went further in N.E., so 

1 In the English of southern England and that of parts of America 
the r is dropped and the a lengthened to a. 

2 In America an intermediate seventeenth century development, 
viz. a. is kept up ; e.g. last, grass, path. 

3 But we still write the M.E. word in almost all these cases and 
those that follow. 

4 In some cases the English of America has a development from the 
£-form, while that of England has the <z-form ; cf. the English and 
American N.E. forms of M.E. clerc, viz. 'dark,' and 'clak.' 



xviii THE MIDDLE-ENGLISH SOUND-SYSTEM § II 

that in almost all native words where e came before 
ng, nk it developed into N.E. i\ e.g. M.E. English 
> N.E. ' Inglish ' with M.E. spelling. 

§ 12. e developed into a- diphthongal N.E. V (see § 33) ; 
e.g. M.E. grene>N.E. 'grPn,' M.E. swete >N.E. 'swift.' 

§ 13. ~e became ~~e in the sixteenth century, but did not 
develop into V until the eighteenth century ; e.g. e.N.E. 
sea, does not rhyme with e.N.E. be in Spenser or Shak- 
spere. 

The distinction between g and e which was introduced 
into late M.E. writing is still kept up in our spelling, though 
the sounds themselves are now in most cases identical ; 
e.g. N.E. steal (M.E. sfele) and N.E. sted (M.E. st'el). 
This fact is of great assistance in determining whether ~e is 
~e or \ in Chaucer. 1 

§ 14. i corresponds as a rule to N.E. i. 

§ 15. 1 has uniformly become ai, though still written i. 
There are traces of the old J-sound in Spenser ; cf. M.E. 
finde with N.E. < faind,' M.E. pin with N.E. < pain,' M.E. 
night with N.E. < nait.' 

§ 16. o before / final and / followed by a consonant, like 
a in similar position, developed an // after it in N.E., making 
a diphthong, which followed the development of the regular 
ou diphthong, becoming p u ; 2 cf. N.E. folk and folly (M.E. 
folie) . Before r final or followed by a consonant, o > ; 
cp. N.E. for with N.E. moral, sorrow. 



1 The only important exceptions are that in many cases r has kept 
an e.N.E. ?, open (cf. N.E. bear, breath, with neat, beat), and that 
final t or d in many cases shortened it to e in N.E. 

2 Still retained in the N.E. writing of bowl, M.E. bolle; jowl, M.E. 
jolle. 



§ 23 SOUNDS xix 

§ 17. q has become N.E. u u ;* cf. M.E. //z^/^ and N.E. 
1 mu u n ' {moon) ; M.E. r^ and N.E. ' ru ll t ' (root). 1 

§ 18. j? has become N.E. g u \ cf. M.E. ^/ and NE. 
boat. 

The distinction between M.E. q and {? is still preserved in 
the N.E. spelling, the latter being represented by oa, the 
former by 00. 

§ 19. u has remained in a few words like N.E./^//, but 
in most cases, especially in unstressed syllables and in words 
without sentence-stress, it has become ? ; cf. M.E. bute, 
Shakspere but, N.E. 'bat' ; M.E. cuppe, N.E. 'cap.' 

§ 20. u has in almost all cases, no matter what its origin, 
become au, though the M.E. form is still written ; e.g. M.E. 
now ( = nu), N.E. 'nau' (written now), M.E. hous, N.E. 
'haus' (house), M.E. droghte, N.E. ' draut ' (drought)? 

§ 21. S in late M.E. became the diphthong ^//, thence 
N.E. iu, e.g. M.E. usen, N.E. 'iuz' (still written use), falling 
together with the diphthong iu, which arose when the first 
element of eu > i. In the eighteenth century, after / or r 
or j, this iu > u. This development is now extending 
in America to iu after d, n, s, and /; cf. new 'nu' duke 
' duk,' etc. 

§ 22. U fell together with u and >^ in both English 
words (out of S.W. dialect) and French words ; e.g. burden 
( O .E . byrden ) , judge (M.E. jiiggen ) . 

§ 23. 0/, ei > N.E. ?i, with stress on the first element ; 
e.g. day, weigh. 



1 But is still written 00. It is often shortened to u in N.E. before 
final / or d or k. For diphthongal element, see § ^. 

2 The student will therefore be able to distinguish the M.E. u, 
which is written ou (or before gh), from the ou diphthong by the 
sound which the former has in N.E. 



XX THE MIDDLE-ENGLISH SOUND-SYSTEM § 24 

§ 24. au became N.E. q ; e.g. law, saw. 

§ 25. The au referred to in § 62 also developed into 
N.E. g ; e.g. grant, dance} 

§ 26. ?#, £# became N.E. zz/ ; e.g. knew, few (cf. § 21). 2 

§ 27. #//, (?# became late N.E. ou\ e.g. know, soul. 

§ 28. <?# became late N.E. d\ e.g. brought. 

§ 29. 0/ (only in French words) corresponds to late 
N.E. oi? 

§ 30. ui, often written u in M.E., became u, then *'#, as 
above ; cf. § 2 1 . 

§ 31. Thus, with only N.E. to guide him, the student 
can in most cases distinguish between e and ~e, o and g, 
u and ou, it and u, ou and bu, in Chaucer's English. To 
distinguish between ou and gu, or between eu and gu, 
requires a knowledge of O.E. 

§ 32. There are at least two grades of stress (often 
called accent) in N.E., viz. primary and secondary. The 
principles just given refer to vowels of primarily stressed 
syllables. Vowels in secondarily stressed syllables of M.E. 
have in many cases lost their stress in N.E. and follow the 
laws of vowels in unstressed syllables. 

§33- Vowels in unstressed syllables all tend to become 
a very wide and open u if originally guttural, and a very 
wide and open 1 if originally palatal. 4 Diphthongs and 

1 In America a development from the old <2-form in such words is 
in common use; e.g. * groent,' * dsens.' 

2 With the present tendency to the further development noted in 

§21. 

3 In Elizabethan English it had the sound of ai which is still heard 
in the vulgar ' bail ' for * boil.' 

4 These sounds are in treatises on phonetics indifferently represented 
by d. The whole subject of unstressed and secondarily stressed syl- 
lables in English still awaits a scientific treatment. 



§ 41 SOUNDS xxi 

diphthongal long vowels in N.E. are accented on the first ele- 
ment, which makes the second element come under this law. 

§ 34. Vowels in unstressed syllables of inflection are lost 
in N.E., whether final or protected by a consonant, unless 
preserved for phonetic reasons. 

§ 35. The New-English consonant system is essentially 
that of M.E. The following are some of the chief differ- 
ences. Consonants are doubled in N.E. spelling, as in 
late M.E., but more frequently, to show that the preceding 
vowel is short ; and a -e is often added after a single con- 
sonant to show that the preceding vowel is long. These are, 
therefore, only apparent differences. 

§ 36. When M.E. w became final in N.E. from the 
dropping of the final -<?, it developed a diphthong ow in 
late M.E., cf.falow (a) 1364, which early became ?, though 
still written ow ; e.g. M.E. shadwe > N.E. shadow, M.E. 
felawe, felwe >N.E. fellow. Inorganic initial w is pre- 
fixed to several common words ; e.g. M.E. on > N.E. one 
(' wan ') ; M.E. hool> N.E. whole (here only in the writing). 

§ 37. / after a or o (see §§ 9 a, 16) is generally lost 
before/, v, m, or k, though still written; e.g. N.E. folk, 
golf, talk, cahn. b final after m is lost in N.E. ; e.g. climb, 
comb, 

§ 38. r final or before a consonant varies in N.E. from a 
slightly trilled sound to a mere vowel glide which is subject 
to absorption in a preceding vowel. 

§ 39. /in words where it was followed by a j- sound 
(including that ofju<u) united with it and > ch in the 
eighteenth century ; e.g. question, 

§ 40. d in similar positions united with the /-sound to 
become dg ; e.g. verdure, 

§ 41. s followed by a /-sound united with it in sh ; e.g. 
nacioun ('nasiun') >'neish9n.' 



xxii THE MIDDLE-ENGLISH SOUND-SYSTEM §42 

§ 42. In words like nation, the /represents an s, written 
c in M.E., and is due to an attempt to imitate the Latin 
form of such words. 

§ 43. d> th in a number of words in late M.E., so we 
have Chaucer's fader against N.TL./ather; likewise mother, 
weather, hither, thither, etc. 

§ 44. h (gh), though still written, is lost in N.E. In 
some cases dialect forms in which gh >/and shortened the 
preceding vowel, are found in spoken M.E., though the gh~ 
forms are written : e.g. N.E. rough, tough. 

§ 45. Some unhistoric consonants were developed for 
phonetic reasons in N.E. Chief of these are 

(a) an unhistoric / which often appears after the ad- 
verbial suffix -es ; e.g. M.E. againes > N.E. against; 

(b) an unhistoric t which appears after nouns ending 
in n\ e.g. M.E. pa re he men > N.E. parchment ; 

(c) an unhistoric d which appears after final n in a 
few words ; e.g. M.E. sonn > N.E. sound, M.E. 
kynrede 1286 > N.E. kindred ; 

(d) an unhistoric b which appears after a final m ; e.g. 
litn > N.E. limb. This was due to confusion arising 
from still writing b after it had been lost; cf. § 37. 

THE DEVELOPMENT OF MIDDLE-ENGLISH SOUNDS FROM 
THOSE OF OLD-ENGLISH 

CHANGES IN THE QUANTITY OF VOWELS 

§ 46. Group-Lengthenings. — Certain O.E. short vowels 
were lengthened in M.E. by certain consonant groups, viz. : — 

§ 47. Any short vowel save u before Id ; e.g. O.E. eald 
(Merc, did) > M.E. qld, 1 O.E. /eld > M.E. /eld (N.E. 

1 These group-lengthenings of O.E. a are earlier than the change by 
which d^>g (cf. § 60), and therefore O.E. a (ed) before hi, mb^>g. 



§ 53 sounds xxiii 

field), O.E. ctld> M.E. child; cf. O.E. bylda {builder), 
and M.E. (S.W. dialect) bidden, builden} 

§ 48. 1 and £ before nd ; cf. O.E. bindan > M.E. binden 
(N.E. 'baind'), O.E. funden (pp.) > M.E. founden (N.E. 
'faund'). 

§ 49. z and # before ///£ ; e.g. O.E. cttmban > M.E. 
cl'imben (N.E. * claim'), O.E. ^;;/^ > M.E. <r^/;^. 

§ 50. Some lengthenings before rd, m, rth, ng occur in 
early M.E., but most of them had been given up by 
Chaucer's time. Traces of them, however, are found in 
the spelling of the Ellesmere Ms. ; cf., too, erthe : ferthe 

0363- 

§ 5 1. Exc. If the lengthening group was immediately fol- 
lowed by a liquid or nasal in the next syllable, 2 the lengthen- 
ing did not take place ; e.g. O.E. tyndre > M.E. tinder. 

§52. Stress-Lengthenings. — The O.E. short vowels 
a, e, b were lengthened in M.E. if they stood in open 
accented syllables; 3 e.g. O.E. macian > M.E. maken (N.E. 
make), O.E. werede > M.E. w\red (N.E. wear), O.E. 
gebbren > M.E. ybqre (N.E. bore) ; cf. O.E. pp. riden = 
M.E. ride 7t (N.E. ridden). 

§ 53. The exceptions are the same as for group-length- 
ening, but this lengthening frequently takes place in spite 
of a liquid or nasal in the following syllable \ e.g. lade I 
(<O.E. hladel) 2020. 

1 ui is occasional M.E. spelling for u, still preserved in such words 
as N.E. build, fruit, juice. 

2 But the -en of p. part, or inf. did not prevent it. 

3 An open syllable is one that ends in a vowel, a single consonant 
always making a syllable with the vowel which follows it. The in- 
stances where noun-forms other than those of the nominative singular 
are generalized are only apparent exceptions ; e.g. O.E. sceadu, but 
M.E. shadwe (from oblique case-form sceadw-). 



xxiv THE MIDDLE-ENGLISH SOUND-SYSTEM § 54 

§ 54. This lengthening is also prevented by ig in the 
following syllable ; e.g. O.E. popig > M.E. poppy (N.E. 

poppy) • 

§ 55. Shortenings. — O.E. long vowels were shortened 
in M.E. when they came before two or more consonants, 
except the lengthening groups mentioned in §§ 46-50 ; : cf. 
O.E. wisdojn and M.E. wisdom ; greet, compar. gretter 863. 

§ 56. O.E. long vowels were sometimes shortened in 
M.E. by the conditions which prevented stress-lengthening; 
viz. ig or a liquid or nasal in the following syllable ; e.g. 
any 580, eny < O.E. ctnig, 

§ 57. O.E. long vowels are sometimes shortened in words 
that have light sentence-stress ; cf. M.E. indefinite article 
an, a, and numeral adjective gn with O.E. an. 

§ 58. The Quality of the Vowels thus produced. — The e 
that arose by lengthening before Id was the long close 
vowel e. The e that arose by stress-lengthening was the 
long open vowel ~e. In all cases of lengthening that resulted 
in 0, it was the long open vowel q that was produced. 

§ 59. Changes in the Character of Vowels. — The chief 
of these are as follows : — 

§ 60. O.E. a becomes M.E. q (except in Northern dia- 
lects) ; e.g. O.E. brad > M.E. brqd (N.E. broad). 

§ 61. O.E. a (0) + nasal remains in Chaucer, except 
when the nasal is followed by a voiced consonant d, g, b ; 2 
in this position it becomes ; cf. thanken and lond (O.E. 
fiancian, land). 

1 The shortening of O.E. <z (= Gmc. <?/) results in a sound that is 
sometimes a and sometimes e, giving thus double forms ; e.g. O.E. 
lie dan (M.E. l\den) has pret. Icedde, which gives M.E. ledde, ladde. 
So a M.E. pret. cladde, cledde points to O.E. clc£pa?t y not cldpian 

(cf. § 175(4))- 

2 Rut from is an exception. 



§ 66 SOUNDS XXV 

§ 62. The an written for a before nasal and consonant 
in words of French origin probably denoted an open sound 
of a between a and 0. 

§ 63. O.E.y (not representing W.S. it) underwent dif- 
ferent developments in the different dialects, resulting in 
Kn. e, S.W. u (i.e. u), and E.Midi, and Northern i. i is 
thus the standard form in Chaucer, 1 but the S.W. u and the 
Kn. e occur occasionally; e.g. murie 1386, ;//m> C. 883, 
my fie E. 2218. 

§ 64. ze/ sometimes changes a following palatal vowel 
to u ; e.g. M.E. womman, from O.E. wifman, which became 
e.M.E. wimman; M.E. wurthy ox worthy, from O.E. wyfdlg. 

§ 65. The Old-English Diphthongs were smoothed to 
simple vowels in M.E., O.E. ea 2 giving M.E. a, O.E. eo 
giving M.E. e, O.E. ea giving M.E. e, and O.E. eo giving 
M.E. e. s 

§ 66. O.E. ^ > M.E. e when it represented an original 
Germanic *§, and M.E. f when it represented a Germanic 
a/ (usually appearing in O.E. as umlaut of a). 4 These 
sounds of e are still distinguished in modern spelling ; cf. 
§ 13- 

1 Chaucer's is the language of London, where a number of dialect 
forms had already gained currency. 

2 O.E. ea + r and consonant gave e in Southern dialects : such forms 
occur in Chaucer ; e.g. yeerd B 4037, O.E. geard ; O.E. ea -f- h was 
in Mercian a, e ; see § 72 (a). 

3 The diphthongs ie and Te are peculiar to W.S. The corresponding 
Mercian forms have e, e. 

4 To the student who does not know Germanic, it may be of assist- 
ance to note that Gmc. a is generally represented by Mod. Ger. a ; 
cf. e.g. Mod. Ger. that with O.E. dad, M.E. ded, N.E. deed: and that 
Gmc. at appears usually in Mod. Ger. as ei, except before r and h 
(and w in O.H.G.), where it is e; cf. Mod. Ger. heilen and O.E. halan, 
M.E. h\len, N.E. heal. 



xxvi THE MIDDLE-ENGLISH SOUND-SYSTEM § 67 

§ 67. A New Set of Diphthongs in M.E. grew out of the 
consonants g, h, and w in the following way : — 

A. The diphthongs produced by an O.E. g 

§ 68. O.E. g was vocalized to i after a palatal vowel, 
to u after a guttural vowel, and joined with the preceding 
vowel to make a diphthong or long vowel as follows : — 

I. After a palatal vowel. 

§ 69. (a) O.E. &g > M.E. at; e.g. day 19 (O.E. d&g). 

(b) O.E. eg, czg > M.E. ei; 1 e.g. wey 34 (O.E. weg), 
either (O.E. izgfier). 

(c) O.E. £dg-, 2 ^, 2 z<?£" (umlaut of la) > M.E. «; 
e.g. O.E. eage > eye (Ellesmere Ms.) 10. 

(d) O.E. log, ig, ig, yg, or yg (when not W.S. ie, te) 

> M.E. 1; e.g. O.E. leogan > M.E. //^ (N.E. lie, 
to tell a falsehood) ; O.E. ligaf> > M.E. Tieth, tith 
(N.E. lies, reclines) ; O.E. riigon > M.E. nine ; O.E. 
dryge > M.E. drie. 

II. After a guttural vowel. 

§ 70. (a) O.E. dg > M.E. au {aw) ; e.g. O.E. Idgu 

> M.E. lawe (N.E. /<&«/). 

(b) O.E. ag > M.E. ^ (ow) ; e.g. O.E. 5^« > M.E. 
qwen (N.E. own). 

(c) O.E. ^- 3 > M.E. qu {ow)', e.g. O.E. ^a > M.E. 
bqwe (N.E. bow, ^bou'). 

1 By Chaucer's time the sounds ai and ei have fallen together as ai, 
but the earlier distinction is still kept up in the writing of good scribes. 

2 In some dialects |^ r >f?>n>F; e.g. M.E. teyen, Hen (O.E. 
tegan, 'tie'). In Anglian dialects eag~> eg: so here too we have 
double forms ; e.g. ye {O.E. rage) : melody e 10. 

3 Since the g was not followed by a consonant, and therefore the 4 
was in an open accented syllable and became {? (§ 52). 



§ 73 SOUNDS xxvii 

(d) O.E. og, ug, ug 1 > M.E. u (ou, ow); e.g. O.E. 
bugan > M.E. bowen (N.E bow, to ' bau '). 

B. Diphthongs produced by an O.E. h 

§ 71. In the case of k, a corresponding parasitic vowel 
is developed. Here the h is retained and written ^A 2 in 
I.M.E. and N.E. : — 

I. After a palatal vowel. 

§ 72. (a) O.E. eh (Angl. ah, eh = W.S. eah) > M.E. 
eigh? 

(b) O.E. ceh with a consonant following w r as shortened, 
giving eh, or ah (see § 55, note 1); so e.g. O.E. 
rcehte > M.E. reighte, ranghte (both forms found 
in Chaucer). 

(c) O.E. eah > eigh, which in some dialects developed 
into M.E. igh ; 4 cf. § 69 (c), note. 

(d) O.E. eoh, Vi, ih, yh, and yh (when not W.S. ~ie, 
te) > M.E. Igh. 

II. After a guttural vowel. 

§ 73. (a) O.E. eah> M.E. augh ; e.g. W.S. j^A > M.E. 
saugh, saw. 



1 After a long guttural vowel O.E. final g>/i, and the development 
was according to § 73 (d). 

2 In some Mss. it is written /i; when final or followed by a vowel it 
is frequently dropped; e.g. highe is often written hye, and high is usually 
written Ay. 

3 Therefore saugh, seigh, in Chaucer, from W.S. .^7// and Angl. ^// 
respectively. 

4 So £if^£ (O.E. heah): seigh 1066, and Emelye : Aye 2577; cf. the 
two preterits oiflen, s\z.fleigh zxi&fly, corresponding tJ O.E. Jleah. 



xxviii THE MIDDLE-ENGLISH SOUND-SYSTEM § 73 

(b) O.E. ah 1 >M.E. ough; e.g. O.E. dah > M.E| 
afcagA (N.E. 'dou')- 

(c) O.E. oh, or 0A shortened by a following consonant 
(§ 55) > M.E. ough ; e.g. O.E. sohte, sohte > M.E. . 
soughte (N.E. 'sqt'). 

(d) O.E. oh, uh, uh > M.E. *ugh {ough) ; e.g. O.E. 
ginoh > M.E. ynough, O.E. /r»A > M.E. through, . 
O.E. r/7/* > M.E. rc?agA. 

C. Diphthongs produced by an O.E. w 

§ 74. An O.E. w becomes M.E. u after a vowel (writ- 
ten w), and joins with it to make a diphthong whose last 
element is u. 

§ 75- (a) O.E. <zz£/ > M.E. au (aw) ; e.g. O.E. cldwu 

> M.E. c/^^ (N.E. claw). 

(b) O.E. #w and ow > M.E. ^ and ou respectively. 
{ow) 1 e.g. O.E. cnawan > M.E. kngwe, O.E. grdwan, 
>M.E. growe ; cf. § 4, note 2. 

(c) O.E. eow, eaw, aw > M.E. \u {ew), O.E. ^ze/« 

> M.E. 'ewe; e.g. O.E. sceawain > M.E. skewen, 
O.E. /#«/<?// > M.E. /fa/*// (N.E. /<?W). 

(d) O.E. eow, iw, and Iw > M.E. £0 (<?o/) ; e.g. O.E. 
<r;^w > M.E. knew (N.E. knew), O.E. Aio/a (ser- 
vant) > M.E. hewe. 

D. Diphthongs produced by an O.E. c 

§ 76. Sometimes a diphthong <?/ is produced by the 
vocalization of c through an intervening consonant ; e.g. 
O.E. cwencte > M.E. queynte 2334 ; so bleynte. So fleisshe^ 



1 J/fc followed by a consonant was of course shortened (§ 55) to ah, 
and became M.E. augh. 



§ 78 SOUNDS xxix 

freisshe, threisshe often occur in Chaucer Mss. ; e.g. fleissh 
344 is the form in Co, Pe, H 4 . 

§ 77. General Remarks on these Diphthongs. — While 
a full knowledge of the corresponding O.E. word-forms 
is necessary to distinguish Chaucer's diphthongs, it is 
possible to learn much from their N.E. sound and 
spelling. 

(1) If in N.E. spelling the diphthong is followed by gh, 
it was one of the series produced by h ; if not, it was 
due to the vocalization of g or w. 

(2) Whenever we have the N.E. #//-sound, as in house, 
Chaucer's vowel was u, though written ou, or 
before gh. 

(3) Where the sound of the N.E. diphthong is q 
{bought, etc.), the source of it was oh + cons. 

(4) Where ough = ?f, we have the dialectic variant of 

»gh, viz. f, which shortened the u ; so the source was 
+ gh, or //, ii + gh. 

(5) Where our N.E. sound of ou (ow) is ou (grow, 
etc.), we have the descendant of the M.E. diph- 
thong qu or ou, but it is not possible to tell which 
without a knowledge of O.E. 

§ 78. Vowels in unstressed syllables. 
% (a) In inflectional syllables, all O.E. vowels became 
M.E. e. This development changed the entire 
inflectional system, so that O.E. -ath > M.E. -eth, 
O.E. -as > M.E. -es, O.E. -u > M.E. -e, O.E. -a 
> M.E. -e, etc. For instances, see Inflection. 
Unstressed e is frequently written i or u in the Mss. ; 
e.g. habergeon of El. in 76 appears as habirioun in 
Gg. and as haburgon in Co. In Chaucer's speech 
it must have had a close sound, somewhat like 
that of N.E. i, as he rhymes it frequently with the 



XXX THE MIDDLE-ENGLISH SOUND-SYSTEM § 78 

verb is; 1 e.g. clerkes : clerk is B 4426 \ deedis : tfW ' 
is D 1 155. 

(b) A M.E. unstressed vowel, followed by a single 
liquid or nasal, and situated between a primarily and 
a secondarily stressed syllable, is often lost, though 
usually written; e.g. heuenes or heunes, euerich or 
euerich, delyuere 84, and considere 3088. 

(c) In M.E. of Chaucer's period the vowel in inflec- 
tional syllables of words of more than two syllables 
is usually lost whether it is final or protected by 
a consonant. Instances are degrees 1890, langdge 
2227, worstede 262, palfreys (: hartleys) 2495, bar- 
gdynes 282, yeddynges 257, fefawe 1192, 11 94 (but 
feldwe 395); in compound words: bdkemete 343, 
felaweship 474, frendshipe 428; in inflection: to 
ouereste 290, biloned 215, /^;v/ ' haired' (:berd) 
2518. The * is usually written in the Mss. But 
when the dropping of the vowel would bring together 
two consonants not easily pronounced the full form 
is used ; e.g. corages n. The loss of the vowel of 
the inflectional syllable, or of final e, in some few 
instances takes place in dissyllabic forms, 2 especially 
in words of frequent occurrence, such as auxiliary, 
verbs ; e.g. were, hadde, koude, etc. For instances: 
see Inflection. 

§ 79. Consonants. — The chief consonant changes con- 
cern c and g. 



1 Final s had not yet acquired its s-sound in Chaucer's time; c§ 
//its: is 1247, 2368; was: bras 366. 

2 Except in the case of the weak declension of adjectives preceded 
by a pronominal word. 



§ 80 SOUNDS xxxi 

c, sc 

(a) O.E. c > eh before the palatal vowels <£, a, e, e, 
ea, ea, eo, eo, i, i, or their umlauts, 1 while it remains 
c (k) before the guttural vowels a, a, o, o, u, u, and 
their umlauts ; e.g. O.E. ceap > M.E. eh'ep, O.E. cild 

> M.E. child, O.E. cirice > M.E. chirche ; but O.E. 
corn = M.E. corn, O.E. cynn (y = umlaut of u) 

> M.E. kinn. 

(b) This ch is also developed if a j or i followed the c 
in the prehistoric period of English ; e.g. O.E. 
s tree can > M.E. streechen, O.E. /<i<ra/z > M.E. 

(c) There is a tendency for O.E. final c to become 
M.E. ch after vowels, especially, after i, and some- 
times after /or zz; e.g. O.E. pic>M.E. pich (N.E. 

pitch 2 ). In some unstressed syllables it is lost ; e.g. 
O.E. iV > M.E. ich, I, O.E. adj. suffix -lie > M.E. -/> 

(d) O.E. intervocalic c is lost in mad < O.E. macod, 
N.E. ;;/^/<f. 

(e) O.E. sc regularly became M.E. sh ; e.g. O.E. sceal 
>M.E. shal (N.E. ^//), O.E. yf^ > M.E. fish 
(N.E. fish). 

9 

§ 80. (a) O.E. initial g followed by a vowel that was 

originally palatal developed into a M.E. y (i.e. the 

sound represented in English by y in such a word as 

young), which was written y or 3 ; e.g. O.E. giefan 

(Merc, gefan) > M.E. yeuen. It remained £■ before 

1 This development did not take place in Northern dialects, and in 
many instances where c is followed by a the M.E. words start from 
Anglian forms, which had a, not ea, in such cases; e.g. O.E. cealf 
(Merc, calf) > MvE. calf. 

2 This ch shortens the t. 



xxxii THE MIDDLE-ENGLISH SOUND-SYSTEM § 80 

a guttural vowel or the umlaut of a guttural vowel ; l 
e.g. M.E. gilden (O.E. gy/den, cf. O.E. gold), 

(b) The O.E. prefix ge- y gi-. develops into y- in M.E., 
which in late M.E. is usually lost. 2 In Chaucer it is 
used or not, according to the demands of the metre ; 
e.g. yronne (O.E. gerunnen) 8. 

(c) For the development of g after a vowel see §§ 68- 
70. 

(d) After a liquid g becomes w ; 3 e.g. borwe (O.E. 
dat. beorge) 1622, morwe (O.E. dat. morgenne) 334, 

folwed (O.E. folgode) 528; so galwes (cf. O.E. 
gealga) B 3941. 

(e) Similarly h after a liquid > w ; e.g. arz«/<w (cf. 
O.E. <?#/7j) 104. 

As to the other O.E. consonants in M.E. the principal 
points are the following : — 

IV 

§ 81. (a) Initial w in O.E. wl- is lost. It survives, how- 
ever, in wlatsom, B 3814. O.E. hw- is written wh- in 
M.E. (qu or quh in Northern M.E.). 

(b) There was a tendency in M.E. to drop O.E. w when 
it came before u or ) e.g. suster 871, soster A 3486 
(O.E. sweoster, swuster), M.E. swote beside soote 1. 

(c) «/ was lost also when ne was > nas, ne were>nere. 



1 The giue which Chaucer also uses is from O.N. gifa; M.E. geue, 
yiue 505, are probably due to confusion between yeue and giue. 

2 It survives as e- in N.E. enough. 

3 Forms in -^, like mary 380 (marrow), bely I 351 (bellows), are 
due to O.E. forms which had developed a parasitic vowel, ?', before the 
g, *mearig, *belig. (The suffix -bury 16 is from the O.E. dative by rig.) 
The parasitic vowel in the case of k was u, so that O.E. -uh became 
M.E. -ugh (-ough); e.g. O.E. /?uruh> M.E. thorough (for thorw cf. 
§ 80 (e)). 



§84 SOUNDS xxxiii 

m 9 n 

§ 82. (a) O.E. final m in unstressed syllables > M.E. n ; 
e.g. for the nones (O.E. for pcem anes) 379, atte 
nale (O.E. cet f>lzm ealope^) D 1349. 
(b) O.E. and M.E. final n can be dropped ; e.g. q, on 
(O.E. an), mayde (O.E. mcegden). In inflectional 
forms of verbs it is preserved or not, according to 
the needs of the metre; e.g. to seken hym 510, to 
drawen enery wight 842, in order to prevent elision. 
In the weak forms of adjectives it is always dropped. 

I 

§ 8^. (a) Medial / is lost before c in ^che (O.E. ale, 

cf. § 79 (c)), which (O.E. hwyle), swiche (later 

swuch, such, cf. §§ 64, 81 (b), from O.E. swyle), 

(b) Final / is lost in muche (O.E. mycel), lite (O.E. 

Ivtel). 

f, v (to 

§ 84. (a) The labial spirant is voiced when it stands 

between vowels, and in M.E. is written u. This 

gives rise to varying stem-forms in inflection ; e.g. 

nom. lyf, gen. lyues ; cf. yaf and yenen. 

(b) It is sometimes lost when it stands between two 
vowels, and the preceding vowel if short is length- 
ened ; e.g. O.E. Keafod> e.M.E. h~eued> M.E. heed 
(N.E. head), O.E. hlaford > e.M.E. Iguerd > M.E. 
Igrd, O.E. hlctfdige > e.M.E. leuedi, lauedi > M.E. 
/<^/y (N.E. lady). So //^dfe {'.spade 554, '.blade 
617) is to be explained from e.M.E. hauede, and not 
as a forced rhyme. 

(c) / is subject to assimilation, cf. § 87. 

1 These phrases are incorrectly divided in M.E. 



XXXIV THE MIDDLE-ENGLISH SOUND-SYSTEM § 85 

th (p), d 

§ 85. (a) Intervocalic th (/>) is dropped in a few words ; 
the most common instances are qr beside qther 
(O.E. ador), wher 2397, beside whether. 

(b) Chaucer uses both forms of O.E. cuf>e ; e.g. kouthe 
( : Dertemouthe) 390, and konde ( : loude) 713. 

(c) th is also subject to assimilation \ cf. § 87. 

(d) In gospel (O.E. go dspel) 481, and answere (O.E. 
andswerian) d is lost. 

h (written gh when medial or final) 

§ 86. Initial h in the O.E. combinations hn, hr, hl y is lost 
in M.E. For other developments of h see §§ 71, 72, 73. 

§ 87. The O.E. Consonant Assimilations are carried still 
further in M.E. The instances (save cet pe > atte) are chiefly 
in the contracted forms of the third pers. sing., and in the 
preterite tenses of weak verbs; see Inflection, §§ 175, 177. 
O.E. / is assimilated to the following consonant in O.E. 
wifman > M.E. wimman > womman (cf. § 64), and in 
O.E. hafde > M.E. hadde. 

§ 88. Unhistoric Consonants. — (a) p is often inserted 

in M.E. between m and n ; e.g. Sompnour 623 (in 

H 4 ) from O.Fr. Somenour ; so empte?i (cf. O.E. 

cemtig), dampnen (O.Fr. da??iner), nempnen (O.E. 

nemnan), solempne (O.Fr. solemne) 209. 

(b) b likewise is developed between m and r, cf. M.E. 
slombren and O.E. sluma ; and after ;;/, e.g. thombe 
563 (O.E. fiuma). 

(c) d is developed between n and r in M.E. thunder 
(O.E. punor) ; and between / and r in alder {-best) 
710 (O.E. ealra-). 



§ 90 SOUNDS XXXV 

OLD-NORSE ELEMENT IN MIDDLE-ENGLISH 

§ 89. Most of the Scandinavian loan-words came into 
English during the late O.E. and early M.E. periods ; so 
that they fall under the sound laws discussed in the previous 
chapter, each sound following the development of the Eng- 
lish sound which most nearly corresponded to it; e.g. O.N. 
tagr > M.E. lowe, O.N. felagi > M.E. felawe, O.N. reisa 
> M.E. re is en, raisen. 

THE OLD-FRENCH ELEMENT IN MIDDLE-ENGLISH 

§ 90. The same thing happened in the case of Old- 
French words ; but here the student must be careful to 
note the time of the borrowing and the dialect of Old- 
French from which the word was taken. Most of the words 
that came into early M.E. from French sources have Anglo- 
Norman forms. The same words often came in later with 
Continental forms, giving rise to doublets ; e.g. conveien, 
convoien; Norm. Fr., conveyer ; Cont. Fr., convoyer. While 
such words generally fell together with the M.E. forms 
which most nearly corresponded (e.g. O.Fr. rose > M.E. 
rose), several special points are worthy of notice : — 

(1) O.Fr. ou from Mediaeval Latin > M.E. u (= oii\ ; 
e.g. O.Fr. flour (flqrem) > M.E. flour ( = flur) ; 
O.Fr. honour > M.E. honour (= honur). 

(2) In many O.Fr. verbs the stem varied according to 
differing conditions of accent in Latin. To English 
ears this seemed to be a difference of verb-stem ; so 
we have in M.E. double forms; e.g. proven and 
preven, re move n and remeven, etc. 

(3) The diphthongs at, ei, fell together in Anglo-Nor- 
man just as in M.E. ; so that we have written forms 

faith, feith, to represent M.E. faith. 



XXXVi THE MIDDLE-ENGLISH SOUND-SYSTEM §90 

(4) Before s and a consonant, a palatal consonant and 
liquid, or s, /, d, v, not followed by a consonant, 
these diphthongs underwent a further development 
into £, so that we get double forms in M.E. ; e.g. 
eise, gse ; saisoun, sgsoun. 

(5) The French u retained its French sound in early 
M.E. In late M.E. it is written ew when final or 
before a vowel, giving such forms as virtew, crewel. 
These appear in Chaucer Mss. 

(6) At first, O.Fr. borrowings had the Fr. syllable 
stress, e.g. honour ; later, they took English stress, 
e.g. honour. This gave rise to double forms in 
Chaucer, differing in respect to accent. See Part IV. 



PART II. — INFLECTION 

§ 91. According to the principle stated in § 78 (a), a 
M.E. inflectional syllable can only contain the vowel e} 
with the corresponding consonant, if there was one, except 
in the case of ;//, which is weakened to n (§ 82), and of n, 
which is lost or retained at the will of the poet. This influ- 
ence in M.E. Inflection was supplemented by another, viz. 
that of analogy, through which inflectional forms of com- 
moner occurrence either became standard for all forms or 
modified those adopted as standard ; as, for instance, in the 
case of nouns, the nominative case singular and plural ; in 
verbs, the stem of the third person singular. 

THE INFLECTION OF NOUNS AND ADJECTIVES 

§ 92. Most nouns which in O.E. ended in a consonant 
went over into the a-declension in M.E. The nominative 
form was generalized for all cases in the singular and plural 
except the genitive, which retained the O.E. -es of the 
singular for both numbers. 

1 This inflectional -e, especially when final, was fast disappearing in 
the standard speech of the 14th and early 15th century; Lydgate 
rhymes such forms as to look and he took (Pilgr. of Man, 2277). But 
with Chaucer the -e is nearly always found in the middle of the verse, 
and appears without exception at the end. His conservative treatment 
had undoubtedly much to do with the preserving the -e as a literary 
tradition through the 15th century. 



XXXviii MIDDLE-ENGLISH INFLECTION § 93 

§ 93. The Nominative Singular ends in -e where the O.E. 
nominative ended in a vowel ; l e.g. 
From the /^-declension ; e.g. ende (ende) 1865. 

^-declension ; e.g. care (cearu, Merc, earn) 132 1. 
/-declension; e.g.spere (spere) 114. 
^-declension ; e.g. tale (ta/u) 36 ; sone {sunn) 79. 
^-declension ; e.g. nonne (nunne) 163 ; nekke 
(Juiecca) 238 ; steede (steda) 2727 ; />»///<? {tuna) 
44; &?z#<? (b°g a ) 108; jr<? {eage) 10. 
Likewise where the O.Fr. nominative ended in -<?; e.g. 
Ttfjtf 18 71, diete 435, ehauntrye 510, visage 627, 
Rome ( : /<? ?//<?) 671. 

§ 94. Loss of Final -e. — This final -e is usually dropped 
in words of more than two syllables (cf. § 78, c). In dis- 
syllables, too, it sometimes does not count as a syllable in 
the verse; e.g. nose (O.E. nosii) 2167, 123; do re (O.E. 
doru) 2422 (cf. dore 550) ; tyme (O.E. tuna) 2474, 102 ; 
mete (O.E. ;#<f/<?) 136 ; and perhaps hope (O.E. hopa) in 88, 
though the verse-pause comes after /*<?/<? in «, see § 259 (a). 

§ 95. Unhistoric Final -e. — As the ^-declension was the 
one which contained most of the feminine nouns of O.E. 
and its final -u > M.E. -e, and as most of the other femi- 
nine nouns were in the weak declension ending in -e which 
remained in M.E., it was natural that final -e should be con- 
sidered the typical ending for a feminine noun. Most 
M.E. feminines, therefore, take -e in the nominative singu- 
lar, even when there was no final vowel in O.E., O.N., or 
O.Fr. ; e.g. roote (O.N. rot) 423 ; boone : soone (O.N. 

1 The Ellesmere and Hengwrt («) Mss. are almost always accurate 
in writing the final vowel in all forms of inflection. Other Mss., 
written when the -e was becoming silent, or by scribes in whose dialect 
it was already silent, are not at all trustworthy. 



§ 97 INFLECTION XXxix 

bori) 2269; youthe (O.E. geogu/>, later iugufi) 461 ; queene 
(O.E. alien) 1685, 923; ;rj/^ (O.E. m7) 1003; wounde 
(O.E. wund) 1010; jw//<? (O.E. sawol) 2786, henene 
(l.O.E. heofone, fern.) 519, etc. 1 

§ 96. Proper names sometimes have their classic form, 
sometimes an Anglicized or O.Fr. form ; e.g. Saturnus 
2443, Saturne 2453; Theseus 2523, Theseus 1883. 

§ 97. Genitive Singular. — The regular genitive ending is 
-es ; in words of more than two syllables, -es. There are a few 
cases where the M.E. noun preserves the historical develop- 
ment of some O.E. declension other than the ^-declension. 

(a) The -an of the weak declension ; e.g. his lady 
(O.E. hlcefdigan) grace &% ; cf. 695 ; at the sonne 
vpriste 105 1. 

(b) A form without any ending in words denoting 
relationship ; e.g. my fader soule 781, a kynges 
brother sone 3084 ; but usually, fadres, broficres. 

(c) Proper nouns ending in -s appear without the gen- 
itive ending; 2 e.g. to Venus temple 2272, Epicurus 
owne sone 336. 

(d) A few Romance words do not take the genitive 
ending; e.g. your heritage right, Compleynte vnto 
Pite 71 (Gl. Ch., p. 327), the rose z colour 1038. 

1 But a few O.E. masculines take this -e, on what grounds has not 
yet been explained; e.g. iveye (already in the Ormulum with -<?) 791, 
but wey 34. The Ace. feere ( : geere, theere) in B 803 may be due to 
analogy from the dative form in phrases like for feere 2344, 2686. 
Similarly, in the case of zveye. Folde ( : ivitholde) 512 (O.E. fald, given 
as neuter by Sievers, as masculine by Sweet) may be due to confusion 
with folde (O.E. folde), meaning 'enclosed ground.' Two neuters, 
gate (O.E. geat) 141 5 and dale (O.E. dal) also take this unhistoric ~e. 

2 Cf. N.E. forms with apostrophe after the -s. 

3 But possibly the O.Fr. adj. rosee, rosy; cf. G 254, House of Fame, 
135. Chaucer's form is rosene in Boece 353. 



xl MIDDLE-ENGLISH INFLECTION § 98 

§ 98. Dative Singular. — Though in most cases the 
dative singular is like the nominative singular, there are a 
few forms in Chaucer that go back to the O.E. dative 
ending in -e \ e.g. of towne ^66,forfeere 2344, 2686, yeer by 
yere 1203, in honde 2347, of wighte 2145, 2520, on lyue 3039. 

§ 99. The Plural. — The usual ending for the nom. plu. 
is -es (from O.E. -as), which generally became -s (-es) in 
words of two or more syllables, especially after a liquid or 
nasal and after a vowel (cf. § 78, (c)) j e.g. battailles 61, 
auentures 795, deyntees 346, palmeres 13, ladyes 999 (cf. 
ladys 2579), obsequies 993, ntbyes 2147, daungers 402, 
housbondes 460, louedayes 258. 

§ 100. The plural is found without inflectional ending in 
a number of neuter nouns whose nom. plu. in O.E. had no 
inflectional ending; e.g. twenty yeer of age 601, his hors 
were goode 74, twenty pound 2520, sheep, neet 597, swyn, 
hors 598. Likewise wepne (O.E. wcepnu) in 1591 seems to 
be plural ; cf. B 3214. Also, in the case of freend 3050, 3051, 
which had the O.E. pl.freond, there is no inflectional ending. 
So, frequently in the case of night (O.E. pi. niht), thing (O.E. 
pi. Ping), winter, ?nile, and by analogy in a few Romance 
words denoting measure ; cf. an hondred partD 2062. 

§ 101. If the nom. sing, ends in s no change is made for 
plural; cf. caas 323, 2971, paas 1890, 2901 ; similarly vers. 

§ 102. Monosyllabic words ending in a vowel sometimes 
form the plural by adding -s (-es) ; e.g. fees 317, 1803, 
shoes 457 ; but not always ; e.g. knees 1103, trees 607. 

§ 103. There are a few instances in Chaucer where mono- 
syllabic words ending in a consonant other than s seem to 
have plurals in -s (-es) just as in N.E. ;* e.g. (from the Pr. 

1 They occur frequently in l.M.E. Professor Schick, in his edition 
of the Temple of Glass, p. lxv of Introduction, notices one in Falls of 



§ 107 INFLECTION xli 

& Kn. T.) poyntz and caas 2971, the goddes aboue 2479, 
and clothes for thy beddynge 16 16. 

§ 104. The O.E. nouns which form their plural by umlaut 
have corresponding forms in Chaucer ; e.g. men ( : hen) D 
1 in (but lemmans D 1998). So fet, ges, teth, kyn (with 
-n inflection added). 

§ 105. Many nouns of the O.E. -n declension retain the 
old plural form. Chaucer uses -es forms side by side with 
•en forms; e.g. asshen 1364 (also ashes'), yen, eyen 152 
(also yes), been (also bees), f on (also fos), ton (also toes), 
shon (also shoes). 

§ 106. From analogy with these, -en is added to the 
plural childer (O.E. cildru) ; similarly, dough tren, b re them, 
sustren; cp. kyn (O.E. plural, cy). 

ADJECTIVES 

§ 107. In the inflection of adjectives, as in the inflection 
of nouns, O.E. nominatives or O.Fr. nominatives ending in 
-e retain the -e in M.E. Of the O.E. forms with -e, the fol- 
lowing occur most frequently : soote 1, swete (O.E. swete) 
5, grene (O.E. grene) 103, dene (O.E. clbzne) 504, riche 
(O.E. rice) 864, trewe (O.E. triewe) 531, 959, scheene (O.E. 
sceone) 972, dere (O.E. diere) 1822 ; likewise, thinne, blithe, 
keene, derne, softe (O.E. sefte), drie (O.E. dryge)} So with 

Princes, 19, b. There are several others in Zupitza-Schleich's edition 
of Lydgate's Fabula Duorum Mercatorum. Many are to be found, 
too, in the M.E. Romaunt of the Rose. 

1 Besides these there are a few strong adjectives which have an 
unhistorical -e in M.E. that is probably due to the influence of weak 
forms, but has not yet been clearly explained, — bare (but read bare) 
2877, lame 2186. Ten Brink wrongly cites fay re (see § 115, d), lyte 
(see § S^ t b), euene (see § 112), lozue (in 522 lough ; but lowe does occur 
in Chaucer). Skeat adds longe ; but see § 112. For alle see § 144. 



xlii MIDDLE-ENGLISH INFLECTION § 107 

O.Fr. adjectives : straunge (O.Fr. estrange, cf. § 6) 464, 
solempyie (O.Fr. solemne) 209, nyce (O.Fr. nice) 398, queynte 
( : qneynte, 3d sing, pret.) (O.Fr. cointe) 2333. 

§ 108. This -e is usually dropped in words of more than 
two syllables; cf. § 78 (c). 

§ 109. -wo stem adjectives with nominative in -u have 
-we in Chaucer ; e.g. yelewe (O.E. geolu) 1929, falwe (O.E. 
feahi) 1364. 

§ no. The -e, though often written, is generally silent in 
adjectives of more than one syllable in the nominative ; 
e.g. a thredbare cope 260, the shortest? 836 ; but certeyne 
dayes 2996. 

§ in. The Strong and Weak Declension of adjectives is 
still kept up in M.E. The strong (indefinite) form is unin- 
flected in the singular, and has -e in the plural ; the weak 
(definite) form has -e in both singular and plural. 1 

Strong : Sing, yong, swete. 

Plu. yonge, swete. 
Weak: Sing, the yong-e (sonne), swete. 

Plu. the yong-e, swete. 

§ 112. In the singular of the strong form, some relics of 
earlier datives (O.E. -uni) occur in phrases; e.g. of euene 
lengthe 83. 

§ 113. An O.E. strong genitive plural survives in alter 
(O.E. ealra) ; e.g. hir alter cappe 586 (cf. also 799, 823). 
It sometimes has the form alder, alther, cf. § 88 (c) ; e.g. 
alderbest 710. 

§ 114. When the plural form of the strong declension is 
used in the predicate, it is sometimes inflected, sometimes 
not; e.g. his hors were goode 74, fetheres lowe 107, ivayke 

1 The final -n of O.E., or of e.M.E., is always dropped in the 
inflection of adjectives. 



§ n6 INFLECTION xliii 

been the oxen 887; but nat fully qnyke ne fully dede they 
were 1015. 

§ 1 15. The weak form of the adjective is used as follows : — 

(a) When it is preceded by the definite article, a pos- 
sessive or a demonstrative pronoun ; l e.g. the longe 
day 354, atte (= at the) leeste waye 1121, his halfe 
cours 8, this go ode man 850. 

(b) After a noun in the genitive ; e.g. Epicurus owene 
sone $$6. 

(c) Before a noun in the vocative case : e.g. faire 
fresshe May 15 11, leeue brother 11 84. 

(d) Before a proper name ; 2 e.g. by Seynte Loy (Mss. 
seynt) 120, vnio Seinte Ponies 509, goode Arcite 2855, 

faire Venus 2663, of faire, yonge, fresshe Venus 2386 ; 
cf. 2369, 2032, 431 ; so, perhaps, Veyne-Glorie 2240. 

(e) When it is used substantively; e.g. the beste 387, 
by weste ifi^. 

§ 116. In Chaucer, as in M.E. generally, a few instances 
of plural adjectives with O.Fr. inflection are found, but 
none in the Prol. and Knightes Tale ; e.g. places delitables 
( : tables) F 899, hoiwes inequales Astro. 186 (Gl. Ch., 
p. 647), souereynes, deuynes substaunces f i supreme spiritual 
substances,' Boece 1658 (Gl. Ch., p. 424). 

For Pronominal Adjectives see Pronouns. 

1 Left and right in phrases denoting direction or position have the 
strong form ; e.g. the left hand 2953, the right hond 2905. 

2 This principle was first pointed out by Professor Zupitza {Deutsche 
Litt. Zeit., April, 1885, cols. 607-610). Chaucer's practice in the case 
of seynt varies (but not according as the first syllable of the following 
word is accented or not, as has been stated by some scholars) ; e.g. the 
strong form occurs in 173, 340, 466, 826; cf. also B 1338, B 1545, 
B 1704, B 1772, D 1443, D 1564, E 1 154, G 1 185. A dissyllabic 
se'int is purely fanciful. 



xliv MIDDLE-ENGLISH INFLECTION § 117 

NUMERAL ADJECTIVES 

§ 117. Cardinal. — The numeral one (O.E. an) has two 
forms, g, gn, and a, an (due to lack of sentence-stress) 1 ; 
make a no?nbre, ' make one number,' i.e. ' add together ' 
Astro. 263 (Gl. Ch., p. 651), noght o word 304, oon of hem 
148, a pom t of alle my sorwes smerte 2766. 

The cardinal numbers 1-9 are usually inflected with -e ; 
e.g. tweye, tweyne (O.E. masc. twegen), two (O.E. fern, and 
neut. two), thre, fonre (O.E. feower) 210, fyue (fyue in B 
3602), sixe, seaene (O.E. seofon), eighte, nyne (O.E. nigon, 
but North, m'one). So twelue 527, threttene, etc. ; but twelf 
monthe 651. 

§ 118. The Ordinals are firste or for-me (an old super- 
lative), other or secotmde, thridde,ferthe, etc., ending in -the, 
except sixte, eighte, twelf te. 

Numeral adverbs for 1, 2, 3, end in -es (cf. § 122) ; ones, 
twyes, thryes. But cardinals are sometimes used instead ; 
e.g. two so ryche Leg. 2291 (Gl. Ch., p. 621), Thogh ye 
had lost the ferse (^Ass. ferses) twelue, ( Though you had lost 
the queen a dozen times' Duch. 723. 

ADVERBS 

§ 119. The regular adverb ending in M.E., as in O.E., is 
-e 2 ; cp. and f aire ryde 94, with a fair forheed 154. So 
soore 230, smerte 149, inne 41, moore 825, etc. In adverbs 
of more than two syllables, the -e is usually -e ; e.g. sometyme 
3024. 

1 a, gn are used regularly after many ; e.g. many <?, many gn. Some- 
times after euerich ; e.g. euerich a word, ' every single word' 733. So 
in the common M.E. phrase, on vche a side. 

2 In O.E. these adverb forms had no umlaut ; e.g. adj. szvete, adv. 
swote. This led to confusion in M.E., the vowel of the adverb often 
appearing in the adjective ; e.g. swete and swoote, soote (§ 81, (b)) 1. 



§ 125 INFLECTION xlv 

§ 1 20. Adverbs which had no -e in O.E. often had the -e 
added in M.E. ; e.g. heere 1585 ; but usually the -e in these 
words is not sounded within the verse in Chaucer, though 
written ; e.g. Thanne 12 ; so usually here, but heere ( : deere 
wk.) 1819, there, whanne ; ofte is usually dissyllabic. 

§ 121. When this adverbial ending was added to the 
adjective-suffix -tic (as in M.E. adjectives like estatlich 140, 
freendlich 2680), making -lice, double forms arose according 
as the final c was lost or not (§ 79 (c) ) • cf. roialliche 
ybore 378, and roially 1713; rudeliche 734. 

§ 122. Case-endings are sometimes used to form adverbs, 
especially the -es of the genitive singular ; e.g. thries 63, 
nedes 2324, his thankes (' for his part/ ' willingly ') 1626, hir 
thankes ('for their part,' ' willingly ') 2 114. So ayeines, 
amonges, besides, etc. Also the accusative ; e.g. haluen 
del (O.E. healfne diet) ; and prepositional phrases, among 
(O.E. on-gemange), aliue (O.E. on-life), to-morwe (O.E. 
to-morgen), angn (O.E. an-an). 

Wonder is sometimes an adverb ; e.g. wonder diligent 483 
(cf. O.E. wundrum fcegr) . 

THE COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS 

§ 123. The comparison of adjectives in M.E. is practi- 
cally the same as in N.E., except that the -er, -est forms are 
not limited to monosyllabic adjectives. A final consonant 
of the positive was doubled in the comparative and super- 
lative in O.E. In M.E. an originally long vowel was thus 
shortened (cf. § 55) ; e.g. gret, gretter. 

§ 124. lenger, strenger, elder, from long, strong, old, still 
retain the umlauted vowel of the O.E. forms. 

§ 125. Of the irregularly compared adjectives, good has 
comparative forms, better, bettre, bet ; bad has b adder, werse 



xlvi MIDDLE-ENGLISH INFLECTION § 125 

( : reherse), worse ( : curs) ; muche(J) has comp. more 
(O.E. mara), mg x (O.E. ma), and superlative mgst (Angl. 
mast), mest(W.S. nicest) ; lyte(T) has lasse, /esse (O.E. Icessa 
— cf. § 55), neigh, ny, has comp. nerre, ner, superlative 
next ; fer has comp.ferre; dere has comp. derre. 

§ 126. The comparative is not inflected; e.g. the gretter 
ende 197 ; but the superlative is, though the -e is generally 
-e ; e.g. his ouereste courtepy 290; but not always, e.g. he 
was the semelieste man H 119 (Gl. Ch., p. 261). 

§ 127. Adverbs are usually compared as in N.E., but a 
few forms are found in which -ly is added to the compara- 
tive of the adjective to make that of the adverb ; e.g. 
??iurierly 714. In ferrer 835 we have -er added to a form 
already comparative. 

PRONOUNS 

§ 128. The Personal Pronoun of the First Person has two 
forms for the nom. sing., / ( : enemy) 1644, and ich, ic 
(cf. § 79, c), as in thcech (= the ich : beech G 928), and 
in the phrase ich hadde. The northern ic is also used in 
the Miller's Tale to represent the dialect of the Northern 
students. Its other forms correspond to those of N.E. 

§ 129. In the Second Person the nom. sing. j>ou {f>u) 
frequently takes an enclitic form, — ow after an auxiliary 
verb; e.g. woltow {woltu) for wolt thou 1544. The dative 
and accusative singular is thee. The plural nominative is ye 
(O.E. ge), dative and accusative yow (O.E. eow) ; cf. / 
pray yow (dat.) . . . that ye (nom.) narette, etc., 726-7. 

1 viq (originally a substantively used neuter form ;;/^f, and the adverb 
ma) is usually the adverb form or the adjective used substantively. 
bet (originally adverbial), too, is generally an adverb in M.E. , but not 
always. 



§ i 3 4 INFLECTION xlvii 

§ 130. In the Third Person the forms are as follows : — 

SINGULAR PLURAL 

Masc. Neut. Fern. 

he hit she they 

his hir(e), hgr(e) hir(e) 365, 368, hgr(e) 

him hir(e), hgr(e) he? ft 

him hit hir(e), hgr(e) hem 

§ 131. For the feminine singular, hgr(e) (and not hir(e), 
as stated by Ten Brink) was probably Chaucer's form ; e.g. 
K$re ( : b$re) 1421, 2057, ( : w$re) E 887 ; the -<?, however, 
is generally silent within the verse, though usually written by 
good scribes. 

§ 132. The Possessive Adjectives are for the first and 
second persons my 9 thy, with forms in -;;, which are usual 
before vowels ; for the third person, masc. and neut., 
his(e), fern., hir(e), hgr{e), plu. our(e), your(e), hir(e), 
hfr(e). The -e is usually written, especially after r, in good 
Mss., but, as a rule, is not sounded ; e.g. on re feith 62, 
but cf. B 41 18, 4150. tnyne is inflected as a plural adjec- 
tive in 2467. 

DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS 

§ 133. The Definite Article the is frequently joined to a 
following substantive which begins with a vowel, as in Thes- 
taat, tharray, for The estaat, the array 716. But this is not 
always indicated in the writing; e.g. the ordres 210. 

§ 134. In O.E., the neuter of the article (which was de- 
clined for gender, number, and case) was f>czt ; this survives 
in the expressions that oon 7 that other {the toon, the tothir, 1 
in Boece 673), i the one,' 'the other.' The phrase that other 

1 Cf. N.E. colloquial the ton, the tother. 



xlviii MIDDLE-ENGLISH LNFLECTLON § 134 

is even used with the plural, that othere cerklis, ' the other 
circles/ Boece 1476 (Gl. Ch., p. 416) ; that othere is plural, 
too, in Boece 1796. f>cet survives, also, as a definite article 
in That wheither, 'The one of you two who' 1856, 1857. 

§ 135. A trace of oblique case-inflection is preserved in 
the phrase for the nonys (O.E. for d<zm anes) 523, etc., and 
in atte nale (O.E. cet pcem ealdS) ; (cf. § 82, (a)). The 
instrumental case of the article (O.E. py) is preserved in 
M.E. and N.E. as the ; e.g. the moore mury 802. 

§ 136. That, however, is usually a demonstrative pro- 
noun with a plural, thg (O.E. pa), which must not be con- 
fused with the adverb thg i then ' ; e.g. tho wordes 498, 11 23. 

§ 137. The demonstrative pronoun this has the plural 
form thes, these (O.E. fern. sing. nom. fieos), and a new form 
thise, which is generally thise; but the inflected thise is 
found frequently; 1 e.g. thise bo okes olde 2294, thise steedes 
2892. 

RELATIVE AND INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS 

§ 138. Relative and Interrogative Pronouns are nearly 
the same in Chaucer as in N.E. 

§ 139. Which is masc. and fern, as well as neut. in M.E. 
(it is used to refer to the Marchaunt in 568), and is 
inflected when used like an adjective, — whiche, whiche; 
e.g. inflected for number, our lordes whiche that ben slawe 
943, of whiche two 1013 ; inflected as definite adjective, the 
whiche day 2998 ; inflected because used substantively, The 
whiche me list 2074. 

§ 140. Whiche is also used as an interrogative pronoun 

1 Ten Brink's " stets einsilbig " is a mistake. Skeat's translation, 
"always monosyllabic, " also a mistake ; and his addition, "the final -e 
probably marks a longer vowel sound," equally erroneous. 



§ 145 INFLECTION xlix 

(cf. Lat. qualis), meaning what sort of {persons or things) ; 
e.g. And whiche they were 40, whiche that they were 
2948. 

§ 141. What is sometimes an indefinite pronoun; e.g. 
a litel what s my lynge,' smiling a little/ Boece 1445 (Gl. Ch., 

P. 4i5)- 

Very frequently what corresponds to N.E. why; e.g. 

What sholde he studie ? ' Why should he study?' 184. 



OTHER PRONOMINAL WORDS, CHIEFLY INDEFINITE 

§ 142. The personal pronouns he, she, it, are sometimes 
used as indefinite pronouns in M.E. (cf. § 200). 

§ 143. al in its pronominal use is usually inflected; e.g. 
alle the ordres 210, (?) alle the hauenes 407, alle the amies 
241 1 : but the -e is generally lost; e.g. alle the fee Ides 977, 
alle the rytes 2370, alle the circwnstaunces 1932. Cp. al this 
lamentacionn 935. Otherwise al is treated like an adjective ; 
e.g. alle we 934, of hem alle 912. 

§ 144. Besides its regular pronominal use, the adjective 
al is often used in M.E. in a distributive sense with abstract 
nouns, meaning every form of, every kind of In such cases, 
the plural form is found, as in O.E. ;* e.g. alle grace 1245, 
alle charitee 1623, alle ioye ajid blis 1684, alle blisse 3097, 
alle wele 3101, alle rancour 2732 ; cf. such expressions as 
in alle wise B 1251, in alle maner thynges 2 181, where alle 
has this distributive sense. 

§ 145. bgthe (O.N. badir) is inflected like an adjective, 

1 Instances abound in M.E. literature, though the idiom has hitherto 
passed unnoticed by grammarians. Cf., too, Shakspere's in all sense, 
Merch, V., 136 ; and in N.E. such expressions as all unrighteousness, 
etc. 



1 MIDDLE-ENGLISH INFLECTION § 145 

and often follows a pronoun; 1 e.g. yow bothe 1856, hem 
. . . bothe 1797. 

§ 146. eyther (O.E. cegfier) has a genitive eytheres. Com- 
pounded with «^ it appears as neither. A pronominal nqther 
f—ne + qther, O.E. ^/w) also occurs in M.E. ; e.g. neyther 
nother habite, i neither the one attitude nor the other,' Bo. 
1742 (Gl. Ch., p. 428). 

§ 147. euery, euerich (O.E. cefre cklc ; for the difference 
in M.E. forms cf. § 79, c), are both found in Chaucer; cf. 
3 and 241. euerich is often joined with on to make a com- 
pound pronoun; e.g. euerychon 31. 

§ 148. the ilke, thilke, this ilke, that ilke (O.E. se ilea), 
' the same/ ' the very,' ' that very,' naturally have the weak 
adjective ending; cf. § 115 (e). 

§ 149. men, me, is the historic development of O.E. man, 
' one,' with the a weakened to e on account of its lack of 
stress ; cp. what asketh men 2777. It was evidently con- 
fused by scribes with the plural of man, ' man,' which was 
also used indefinitely in M.E.; cf. as menfynde (: Inde) 2155. 

§ 150. self (O.E. self, self a) occurs in both the strong 
and weak forms ; e.g. myself 544, hym selue 528, hymseluen 
184. As an adjective, selue is the common form ; e.g. that 
selue moment 2584, the selue king, Bo. 313 (Gl. Ch., p. 366). 

§ 151. som, somme, is used both for singular and plural ; 
cf. som wol ben armed on his legges weel 2123, and sonime 
seyden thus 2516. Some (plu.) rhymes with come in 2187; 
but it is usually some within the verse. 

§ 152. swich, such (O.E. swyle, cf. § 8^, a, 81, b), is 



1 In A B C 83 (Gl. Ch., p. 328), your bothes peynes occurs, which 
may be an error for bother (cf. Troil. IV., 168), an early Middle English 
gen. plur. like alter, the bothom, R.R. 3502 (Gl. Ch., p. 698), is prob- 
ably a mistake for the bothen, i the two.' 



§ i 5 3 INFLECTION li 

declined like an adjective ; e.g. swich cas 2822, swiche com- 
paignyes 2589, swiche glarynge eyen 684. 

VERBS 

In Old English, as in Middle English and New English, 
there were two great classes of verbs, strong and weak. 
The strong verbs had four tense-stems, viz. present, preterit 
singular, preterit plural, and past participle, containing dif- 
ferent vowels ; the weak verbs had the same stem for all 
tenses. In the course of the development of the language 
from the Old English period to the present, a tendency has 
been manifest to transfer strong verbs to the weak class. 
In Middle English, therefore, a number of verbs which in 
Old English were in the strong class have gone over to the 
weak conjugation. 

THE STEM-FORMS OF STRONG VERBS 

§ 153. The O.E. strong verbs appear as a rule in M.E. 
forms developed from the corresponding O.E. forms accord- 
ing to the principles laid down in Part I. The two stems 
for the preterit, which in O.E. had different vowels for the 
singular and plural, are in M.E. for the most part levelled 
under one, generally that of the singular ; where a separate 
stem for the preterit plural occurs, it is usually that of the 
past participle. By Chaucer's time, therefore, many of the 
strong verbs have only three stems, present, preterit, and 
past participle. The Classes are as follows : — 

In giving the principal parts of verbs the infinitive, for the sake of 
uniformity, is here put down as normally ending in -<?, except 
where the verb stem ends in a vowel, and the preterit plural 
as ending in ~en\ the participle is given without the prefixed y\ 
cf. §§ 182, 184. 



Hi 



MIDDLE-ENGLISH INFLECTION 



§ 154 



§ 154. Characteristic 
sonant. 

Vowel Series : 



CLASS I 

I followed by a single con- 



Pres. 




Pret. 


Past Part. 




SING. 


plur. 




i(=O.E.t) 


o(<O.E. 


a) i(=O.E.i) 


5(=O.E.i) 


ride l ride ' 


rdd 


riden 825 (§52) 


riden 


write ' write ' 


wrot 


writen 2814 


writen 


driue ' drive ' 


drqf 


driuen (§84) 


driaen 


arise ' arise ' 


arqs 


arisen (§5) 


arisen 



So with agrise ' shudder/ bide, bite, glide, shine, shriue, 
smite, thriue, wrie 1 'cover'; rine (O.N. rifd) and striue 
(O.Fr. estriuer) are in this class from analogy with thriue, 
driue, etc. 

CLASS II 

§ 155. Characteristic — e (I, ou) followed by a single 
consonant. 



Vowel Series : 

Pres. Pret. 

(e (<O.E. eo) 
I I (< O.E. eo + g) q (< O.E. sing, ea ; 

O.E. plur. had 11) 
[ou (= O.E. u) 



Past Part. 

o (<O.E. o 9 

cf. § 5 2 ) 



1 From O.E. wrigan, originally of Class I, with parts wrigan, *wrlhan 
(contracted to wreon), wrah, wrigon, wrigen ; but eo gave it principal 
parts in O.E. according to Class II : — wreon, wreak, wrugon, zvrugen. 
In M.E. we have developments from both sets of forms: infinitives 
wrien I, and wreen II, preterit wreigh II, past participle wrien I. 



§ *55 

bide 1 ' command ■ 

c/iese 2 i choose ' 
crepe ' creep ' 

c/eue i split ' 
s'ethe ' boil ' 



INFLECTION 
b~ed 
dies 

L 

<r/r/ A 4226 (wk. 

<r/r//^ D 1698) 
(wk. clefte, Bl. 72) 
seth 



iiii 

bo den (cf. jkjv- 

<fo^/z 909) 
chosen 
crqpen 

eld tie n 2934 
soden 



So flete ' flow/ ^^/<? * shoot/ brewe ' brew ' (pret. bre7v). 

Where O.E. eo was followed by g the result in M.E. was 
j, § 69 (d), giving in this class some infinitives in 1 ; e.g. 



fly en 3 
flen 



' fleigh (O.E. yfcaA) 

B3879 
fly (cf. § 72 (c)) 

B 4362 
flaugh* B 4421 



flgwen flgwen 
B4581 



lyen 'lie' (<O.E. /eogan) high Tr. II, 1077 

(wk. /yed 6$g) (wk. /yed) 



1 In M.E. bede is confused with bidde (Class V) both in respect to 
form and meaning. 

2 chese, lese ' lose,' frese 'freeze' had in O.E. a consonant change 
of s to r in pt. pi. and p.p.; this r is retained in strong p.p. of lese 
'to lose,' wk. pt. loste 936, strong p.p. /tfr;z, wk. Host; and in frese n 
* to freeze,' pt. /r^, frgren, pp. frgren. sejhe had a similar conso- 
nant change from th to ^/, preserved in M.E., p.p. soden ; cf. N.E. 
'sodden.' 

3 O.E. fleogan 'to fly,' which gave M.E. flyen, and fle on 'to flee,' 
which gave M.E.fleen, were originally two distinct verbs, but were con- 
fused in late O.E. and confounded in M.E. and N.E. both in form and 
meaning, flen has also a weak -pvet.fledden in 2930. 

4 From analogy with sangh the preterit of seen. 



11V 



MIDDLE-ENGLISH INFLECTION 



§*55 



shouen (0 = u) 



This class in O.E. contained also some infinitives in u. 
Of these there remain in common use in M.E. 
shouuen ' shove ' (O.E. f she/ 

scufan) \ sho/Tr, iii, 487 

bowe ' bow ' (O.E. bugari) (beig/i) (bgwen) 

wk. bowed wk. bowed 

Brouke ' brook ' is used only in the present. 

§ 156. Classes III, IV, V, all originally contained verbs 
whose characteristic was e, and in O.E. they had the same 
vowel-sequence in present and preterit singular, viz. pres. e 
(or some development from it) and pret. sing, a (or some 
development from it), differing from one another in the 
preterit plural and past participle : III having pret. plur. u 
(or some development from it) and p.p. o (u + nas.) ; 
IV having pret. plur. a> and p.p. o {u + nas.) ; V having 
pret. plur. 7z and p.p. e. M.E. usually preserves the regular 
development of these forms. 

CLASS III 

§ 157. Characteristic. — e + liquid and consonant ; 
I + nasal and consonant. 






Vowel Series : 






Pres. Pret. Sing. 


Pret. Pl. 


P. Part. 


e 4- liq. and a ( < O.E. ea) 


o 1 


o(=O.E.«9 


cons. < 






O.E. eo 








6 + nas. + 






I + nas. and 
cons. 

• 


v'cd cons. 2 
a + nas. + 
v'cless. cons. 2 . 


u(=O.E.i7) 


u (6) = 
O.E. u 



1 By analogy from the stem of the past participle ; the O.E. preterit 
tense-stem had u in the plural. 2 See § 61. 



§ >58 



INFLECTION 



lv 



Note that all these vowels are subject to the group-lengthenings of 
§§ 46-51; so that we have present stems like yelde, fhide, climbe ; 
preterit singular stems like clgmb, ygld ; preterit plural and past parti- 
ciple stems like founden, wounden (ou = u). 



It will be well, therefore, to divide Class III into two sub- 



classes : 



(a) Verbs with stem-vowel followed by / or r and a cons. 

(b) Verbs with stem-vowel followed by m or n and a cons. 



§ 158. Ill a. 
helpe * help ' 



holpen 



swelle 
yelde 

delue 

sterue 
kerne 



' swell ' 
' yield ' 

(§47) 
i delve ' 

'die' 
' carve ' 



(halp 
\heelp x 1 65 1 j 

swdl 

ygld yglden 



holpen 18 

swollen 
yglden 



ddlf Bo. 1637 by-doluenBo. 1637 

dulue 2 pret. subj. Bo. 1639 
starf ^933 sto? uen C 8SS sforuen 
cdrf 100 coruen coruen 

2696 
brdst brosten brosten 



breste 3 ' burst ' 
thresshe t thrash '536 

worthe s become ' (0 = u (§ 6) < w + eo (§ 64) ) 
wdrth 



So dXsoflghten (1.0. E. fih tan), pt. sg. fa light 399 (< O.E. 
feaht, cf. § 73 a), pt. pi. fo lighten, p.p. fo ugh ten (< O.E. 
fohten, cf. § 73 c). 



1 Not yet clearly explained. 2 See § 180. 

3 In O.E. berstan and \>erscan ; r and the preceding vowel changed 
places in M.E. 



§ i59- 


III b. 


winne 


wan 


s pi 7in e 


span 


beginne 


began 


swimme 


swam 



lvi MIDDLE-ENGLISH INFLECTION § 159 



wonnen (o = u) wonnen (o = u) 

sponnen sponnen 

begonnen begon nen 

swommen swommen 

renne 1 1761 ran 509 ronnen (o = u) ronnen (o = u) 8 

2925 

smge soong 122 son gen (0 = u) songen (o = u) 

(§50) 

springe sprong sprongen {o = u) sprongen {0 = 11) 

So stinge, swinge, ringe. 

finde (§ 48) foond founden (ou = u) founden(ou = u) 

binde bond bounden (ou = u) bounden{ou = u) 

So grinde, wmde, cllnibe. 

dronken (o = u) dronken (0 = u) 

820 1261 

sonken (0 = 11) sonken (0 = u) 

So swinke ' toil/ shrinke, stinke. 

Moorne (§ 50) i mourn/ sporne ' spurn,' and brenne 'burn/ 
originally of this class, became weak in M.E. 

CLASS IV 

§ 160. Most of the verbs in this class having in O.E. 
short e before a single consonant, the corresponding M.E. 
vowel will have been lengthened to ~e ; see § 52. 

1 The M.E. form of this present stem is due to O.N. retina. 






drinke 


drank 




(§60 


sinke 


sank 



§ 160 INFLECTION lvii 

Characteristic : e before a single liquid. 

Vowel Segue ?t ce : 

Pres. Pret. Sing. Pret. Pl. P. Part. 

e «(<0.E. ce) f(<O.E. 5) 1 o (< O.E. o) 

stele i steal' stdl stolen 2627 

ere 'bear' baar 237 baren 721 fo??r 1542 

^r ( : ^<fr Leg. B. 216) born 
bar 105 2 

So jAf/r ' shear/ fere 'tear ' ; wire 'wear/ originally weak, 
has a strong preterit plural o/^/r ( : spire 2948) and also 
a weak preterit w^red 75 ; hTele i conceal ' has a weak past 
participle hejed B 4245. Br eke (brdk 1468, broken) and 
jr/^£ {spdk, spdken) belong to this class, though their char- 
acteristic would put them in Class V. 

Two of the verbs of this class are irregular, viz., — 

come (o = u) ( come ' com : dom G. 242 come (o=u) 23 

cam: ram 547 pl. comen 

nime'take* nam nomen nomen(o = u) 

undernom : -dom G. 243 



1 The descendant of the O.E. preterit plural stem, e, appears in 
some verbs of this class in M.E., and is frequently carried over to the 
singular. 

2 The variation is due to confusion between the vowels of the preterit 
singular and preterit plural stem. The vowel of the plural carried over 
to the singular gave beer ; the vowel of the singular carried over to 
the plural gave baren (§ 52) ; then this long a of the plural was carried 
back to the singular giving baar (cf. e.N.E. bare). All these forms 
are found in M.E. and well illustrate the confusion between preterit 
singular and preterit plural stems. 



lviii 



MIDDLE-ENGLISH INFLECTION 



§ 161 



§ 161. CLASS V 

Characteristic : e followed by a single consonant not liquid 

or nasal. 
Vowel Sequence: 

Pres. Pret. P. Part. 

e (<O.E. e) a (<O.E. 2) ?(<O.E. e) 



gete 1 'get 



gat 704 



wrejie ' revenge ' wrdk 



geten 291 
w re ken 
wroken (as 

CI. IV) 
eten 
yeuen 1086 



\te ' eat ' ^/ (O.E. ^/ 2 ) £/<?« 

j>w/^, j'zz^ 3 ' give ' _)'#/" 177 y alien 

sen (O.E. seoh 4 ) saugh (§ 72 a, .raz^ « B. 2 1 8 _}'j^tz 
'see' note 3) 1400 

ivzay (§ 71, note 3) 
in rhyme : seigh (< Angl. jS/j) 193 
say, sey (§ 71, note 3) 
jj? ( : mercy) G 1381 syen Tr. v. 816 ( : yen) 
(cwgthe) quoth, quod, ' said he ' 5 



1 The consonant is due to the influence of the corresponding O.N. 
verb get a. 

2 An exceptional form; so also the preterit fret from O.E. frcet. 

3 Due to influence of O.N. gifa ; yaf and not gaf is due to analogy 
from the present stem, cf. § 80 (a) and note 1. 

4 O.E. seon was originally *sehan; M.E. preterit plural syen is prob- 
ably from Anglian segon (§69 c, note 2), and from the plural syen 
arose a singular sy by analogy. The O.E. adjective gesiene (Mercian 
gesene) meaning visible, took the place of yseyn in l.M.E. In Chaucer 
sene, ysene is still used in its adjective sense, occurring with * to be ' : 
otherwise yseyn, seyn. 

5 The for a is explained as being due to the w\ the d as taken over 
from e.M.E. pi. qu^den, which preserved a consonant change of th to d. 



§ 1 62 INFLECTION lix 

With I and double consonant in the present : l — 

bidde (§ 155, note 1) bad b\den 

Hen, 2 liggen 2205 lay, 20, 937 leyn 

sitte sat 271 seten 2893 jr&« 

see/ 3 {'.feet) 2075 

CLASS VI 

§ 162. This class in O.E. had a in the present and past 
participle before a single consonant, with o in both numbers 
of the preterit. The M.E. vowel sequence is therefore — 

a (§ 52) o a 

Characteristic : a followed by a single consonant. 

take tpk taken 

So wake, cwake s quake ' ; bake, forsake, shake, shape 4 ; 
fare ' fare/ ( go/ has wk. pret. ferde A 1372/ and beside 
the strong faren a weak fared in the past participle. 

stonde (<O.E. standan, 6 § 61) j/^ stond 



1 These are originally weak presents in -Jan with strong preterit and 
participle stems. 

2 //>/* (O.E. liegaii) is from the stem of the O.E. 2d and 3d sing, 
indicative, as if the O.E. infinitive had been */?gan (§ 69 d). 

3 seet is by analogy from the plural sgten ; sate shows the vowel of 
the singular carried into the plural and lengthened. 

4 As if from *sca/>an ; the O.E. form is sceppan ; cf. § 161, note on 
Hen, 

5 Due to confusion with the preterit of O.E. feren 'to go.' 

6 This present stem was extended by the insertion of n in O.E. 



lx MIDDLE-ENGLISH INFLECTION § 162 

Several verbs of this class having in O.E. a, o + g, h, 
develop diphthongs in M.E. ; see §§ 70 a, 73 d (pt. sg.), 
and 70 d (pt. pi.). 

drawe (<O.E. drought drow drawen 

drag an) (<0. E. droh) 

drew Bl. 862 (influence of knew) 
gnawe (<0.E. gnow gnawen 

gnagan) ( < 0. E. gnoh) 

laughe 1 'laugh' lough (ou = u) laughen 
slen 2 'slay' slough (ou = u) is/awe 943 (< O.E. ge- 

stagen) 
slow ( ow = u) is lay e 3 63 ( < O . E . ge- 

slegen) 

The following also belong to this class : — 

sw^re A 'swear' swor sworen 810 (<O.E. 

sworen) 
keue 5 ' heave ' haf (: gaf) 2428 (cf. CI. IV) (wk. heued) 

Kef Boece 1 7 
steppe 'go' stop stapen C 4011 

wasshe wessh 2283 wasshen 

waxe, wexe, originally of this class, has forms according to 
Class VII in late O.E. ; cf. § 163. 



1 O.E. hliehhan (Angl. hlcrhhan) ; but M.E. laughe, as if from a 
*hlahan ; cf. note on lien, § 161. 

2 O.E. slean (*sla/ian). 

3 Chaucer uses both forms in rhyme. 

4 O.E. swerian from *swarjan (wk. present). 

5 O.E. hebban. But M.E. as if from */iefan ; cf. note on lien. The 
verb has also weak forms in M.E. 



§ 1 63 INFLECTION > lxi 

CLASS VII 

§ 163. These verbs had originally reduplicated preterit 
tense-stems. These reduplications were lost in early O.E., 
but left a class of strong verbs which had preterit stems con- 
taining in each case a vowel different from that of the other 
stems of the verb. Some of them had already assumed 
weak forms in O.E., others became weak in M.E. ; so that 
in Chaucer's time many verbs of this class had both strong 
and weak forms. In the case of verbs with O.E. a in the 
present stem, the shortening before two consonants when 
the -de of the preterit and -d of the past participle was 
added, gave double forms; see § 55, note 1. 

Characteristic : the same vowel in the present and past 
participle ; e or ew in the preterit. 

Fete Y Met' let reten 

late A. 3326, (wk. lette) 

imper. Idt 840, 83 1 

slept l sleep ' step 397 slepen, wk. slept 

wepe 'weep' wep wppen (O.E. wopen) 

wk. wepte we pen, wk. wept 

So type ' leap ' with strong pret. lep ; b^te i beat ' with 
strong pret. bet, wk. bette, strong pp. b~$ten, and wk. bett; 
waxe, wexe, with pi. wex. 

Dr$de ' dread ' (< O.E. drczdan) has a wk. pret. dredde, 
drddde, with wk. pp. (y)drad, dred ; likewise r$den ' read ' 
(< O.E. raidan), wk. pret. redde, rddde, and wk. pp. redd, 

1 The fact that both forms, lat and let, occur frequently in the imper. 
2d pers. sing, in connection with other verbs (e.g. lat be> etc.) points to 
a shortening of O.E. lat (cf. § 55, note) due to lack of stress. The 
infinitive late and past participle laten may be due to the influence of 
the O.N. verb lata. 



lxii MIDDLE-ENGLISH INFLECTION § 163 

rddd ; and sli$de ' shed ' (O.E. s el a dan ; Orm. sh&denn), 
wk. pret. shadde, shedde, and wk. p.p. shed, shad. 

kngwe ' know ' £#<?ze> (<O.E. kngwen (<O.E. 

(<O.E. enawan) crieow) gecnawen) 

So b/gwe 'blow/ grpwe 'grow/ j^ze/* ' sow/ thrive 'throw/ 
crp7i>e ' crow/ 

>&^r/<? (Merc, ha/dan) held Kg/den 

fdlle fel ( : we/ G. 1282) 

/*// (y?//<? : ze'///<f 2387) 
honge Jung (wk-) honged 2568 

^/(f 1 'order/ 'promise/ he f (O.E. he/) hg/en 

' be named ' Aag^/ (O.E. /^///, 2 hiht) 

WEAK VERBS 
§ 164. There are two classes of weak verbs in M.E., viz. — 
Pret. Past Part. 

Class I, -ede, -ed, -ed -ed, -ed 

Class II, -de, -de -d 

1 As the / of the strong pret. hlght looked like the regular ending of 
a weak verb, the -e was added giving a preterit, hlghte 719, and a past 
participle formed, hlght ( : knyghf) 2472. The fact, too, that hlght 
looked like a present indicative third singular form contracted from 
highteth, led to its use as a present form; e.g. in Astr. 83 (p. 642) " upon 
this plate ben compassed certeyn cercles that /lighten almycanteras." 

Besides these there was in O.E. a passive form, originally present, 
but used in late O.E. as preterit, viz. hceite ; the two consonants 
shortened the a and gave M.E. hdtte, hette ; from the preterit through 
analogy with such verbs as meten, mette another present, h^ten ( : l$te) 
B 334, was formed. All these forms occur in M.E. and are found in 
Chaucer. 

2 A reduplicated form which survived in O.E. from an original 
Gmc. *hehait. 



§ 1 66 INFLECTION lxiii 

These do not correspond to the O.E. classes, but are due 
to the operation of the principle stated in § 78 (a). The 
preterit ending of O.E., Class I a, viz. -ede, thus fell together 
with that of Class II, viz. -ode, giving one class in M.E. with 
-ede ; this is Class I. The M.E. verb of this class was in 
every case one of at least three syllables, so that the final -e 
was usually lost (cf. § 78 (c)) and -ed, -ed thus became the 
typical ending for preterit and past participle, e.g. loued, 
loued (not lovde, louede) though forms in -ede sometimes 
occur, e.g. weddede 86&, lakkede 756, touchede, 2561. 

Class II in M.E. is made up chiefly of verbs which added 
the preterit ending directly to the stem in O.E. (O.E. 
Classes I b, I c, and III) ; the typical form of its preterit 
ending is thus -de; e.g. herde ( : answerde) 11 23, and that 
of its past participle ending -d; e.g. herd ( : swerd) 1597. 

§ 165. CLASS I 

Pret. Past Part. 

-ede, ^ede, -ed, -ed -ed, -ed 

Chaucer's rhythm shows that the ending both of the 
preterit and of the past participle in this class was usually 
-ed) e.g. pret. loued 206, 1197 and often, ga med 534; p.p. 
sowed 685, ycleped 376. 

The verbs of Class I may be conveniently arranged as 
follows : — 

§ 166. (1) Verbs in -ren (O.E. -rian and short stem syl- 
lable, Class I), e.g. : — 

w$re ' wear ' w$red 75, 564 w$red 

h'erie Y ' honour ' h^ried h'eried 

1 This verb and berien retain the -*- of earlier M.E. which was 
preserved in Southern dialects. 



lxiv 



MIDDLE-ENGLISH INFLECTLON 



§ 1 66 



^re ' plow ' 886 gred gred 

dgre ' injure ' 1822 dgred dp-ed 

stgre, stire i stir ' stgred, s tired stored, s tired 
(O.E. styrian §63) 

§ 167. (2) Verbs which had in O.E. the pret. -ode, 
CI. II ; e.g. — 

loue loued loued 

cFepe clipped cl'eped, clept{ 1 i k e 1 1 ) 

m ake m aked, made 706 ym aked 2 o 6 5 , m a ad 

(cf. § 79 (d)) 668 

Quake (O.E. cwaciaii) has strong pret. quook 1576. 
§ 168. (3) Nearly all verbs of French origin ; e.g. — 



passe 


passed 448 


passed 




paste Tr. II 658 


past 


rqme 


rqmed 1069 


rqmed 


graunte 


graunted 786 


graunted 810 


co nu eye 


co 7111 eyed 2737 


conveyed 


suffise 


suffised 


suffised 1233 


honoure 


honoured 


honoured 50 


punyss/ie 


puny s shed 


puny s shed 657 



§ 169. A number of verbs which should belong to this 
class have forms according to Class II ; e.g. prets. cried 
and c?yde 2656, preyed and preyde 811, answered and 
answp'de ; p.p. answ^rd ( : cutberd) A 4128 (Gl. Ch., p. 57) ; 
died and dide. 



§ 17°- 



The verbs of this class may be arranged as follows : — 



CL^ 


,SS II 




Pret. 




Past Part. 


-de, -de 




-d 






§ I7 3 INFLECTION lxv 

§ 171. (1) Verbs with long stem-vowel in O.E., CI. lb; 

e.g.— 

Here herde (§55) herd 

fede fedde fed 

Sofele, pret.felte; kepe, kepte ; slepe (when wk.), slepte. 

Fede ' lead,' I'eue ' leave,' sprgde ' spread,' have double 
forms in preterit and past participle with e and a in stem 
(cf. § 55, note). 

dreme, seme have preterit and past participle like Class I, 
viz. dre?ned, serried. 

§ 1 72. (2) Verbs in O.E. which had a doubled consonant 
in stem, CI. I b ; e.g. — 
sette sette (y)sett 

So whette, knitte. 

§ x 73- (3) Verbs which in O.E. had umlaut in present 
but not in preterit stem : — 

(a) With doubled consonant in present : — 

telle l tell ' tglde (O.E. tealde, § 47) tgld (O.E. geteald) 

So selle ' sell,' sglde, quellen i kill/ pret. not found in 
Chaucer. 
strecche ' stretch ' straughte 2916 (O.E. stredhte) 

streighte (O.E. strehte) 
abegge 1 (O.E. abycgan) aboughte 2303 (O.E. abohte) 

' atone for ' 

So by analogy cacche (O.Fr. cachier) ' catch/ canghte. 
leye (O.E. lecgan) 'to lay' leyde (O.E. legde) leyd 

1 abien is the usual form, from stem of second and third singular as 
if O.E. *abygan ; abegge is Kentish. So leye, as if from O.E. *legan. 
legge, A 3269, a North, dialect form, shows the gg. 



lxvi MIDDLE-ENGLISH INFLECTION § 173 

(b) With long stem syllable in present (for preterit see 
§ 72 (b)):- 
r~$che ' reach ' ra ugh te 2915 (O.E. rceh te > rah te) 

reigh te ( O . E . rceh te > reh te ) 
f$che 'teach' taughte 497 (O.E. ta>hte> tdhte) 

seke (North, form) 'seek' soughte (O.E. sohte> sohte) 
wire he l i wo rk ' (O.E. w rough te ( O . E . work te > wroh te) 

wyrceati) 
fringe broughte (O.E. brohte>brohte) 

thenke ' think' thoughte (O.E. fodhte>/>ohte) 

thynke i seem ' (impers.) thoughte (ou = &r) (O.E. f>uhte> 

puhte) 
§ 1 74. (4) Verbs of Class II in O.E. : — 

haue* han (cf. § 84, b) hadde (usually hddde) had 

hade (cf. § 84 b) 
seyen {siggen Tr. IV, 1 94) ' say* seyde seyd 

§ 175. Consonant Changes in Preterits of Class II : — 

As in Class II the -de, ~d, of the preterit and past participle 
ending is brought directly in contact with the stem, changes 
occur as follows : — 

(1) A long vowel is shortened by the consonant group 
thus made (cf. 55). 

(2) d >/ as follows : — 

(a) after voiceless consonants; e.g. mete, mette ; 
fette, p.p.fet 819. 

(b) after a nasal or liquid or a nasal or liquid fol- 
lowed by d or t; e.g. fete, felte; mine, mente ; 
hente, hente 1300; girden, girte 329; biilden, 
bulte 1548. 

1 Has other forms werken, werchen. 

2 But confusion with preceding verb appears already in M.E. ; e.g. 
in C 771 hem thoughte : they soughte. 

8 Hdue, han has 2d sing, hast, 3d sing. hath. 



§ 177 INFLECTION lxvii 

(3) Verbs in -ue have prets. in -fte. This change took 
place in O.E. 

(4) Verbs in th have by assimilation dd in preterit ; e.g. 
kythe 'to show/ pret. kidde; * clothe pret. cladde, cledde. 

(5) Verbs in -ste have a preterit apparently the same 
as the present ; e.g. caste 2854. 

(6) Verbs in -enche have the pret. and p.p. -einte ; e.g. 
blenchen, bleynte 1078, drenchen, dreynt. 

(7) Verbs in -<?#£•<? have preterit and past participle in 
-einde ; e.g. sprengen, spreynde ; sengen, seynde. 

INFLECTIONAL ENDINGS OF VERBS 

§ 176. The Inflections for Person and Number in the 
present indicative and present subjunctive are the same for 
both strong and weak verbs, viz. 

Indie. Sing. 1. -e Subj. Sing. 1. 2. 3. -e 

2. -est 

3. -eth, -th 1 

Plur. 1. 2. 3. -e(n) Plur. 1. 2. 3. -e{n) 

The -e of the first person is sometimes -e ; e.g. haue 2772, 
telle 1 1 54. 

§ 177. In the second and third persons singular of the 
present indicative the ending is frequently est, eth; e.g. 
bereth 796 ; such forms as comth, macth appear in Mss. 
This is usually the case with verbs with stems ending in a 
vowel; e.g. seist 1605, nth 1218, 1795. When the ending 
is added directly to the stem, contract forms ensue ; e.g. 

1 A few Northern indie. 3d sing, endings in -es occur in Chaucer's 
early work (e.g. Bl. 257, 74; H. of F. 225), and in the Reeves Tale 
(e.g. 4129 bringesj 3d sing. : thinges, plur.) as part of the local colour- 
ing of the tale. 



lxviii MIDDLE-ENGLISH INFLECTION § 177 

forget(e)th > forget * forgets/ R. of R. 61. 

flight (e)th > flight ' is called/ Compl. 70 (Gl. Ch., p. 326). 

*fygst > lixt ' liest ' D 1 761 

sett(e) tfi > set ' sets ' 

brest{e)th > brest 'bursts' 2610 

fid{e)th > rit ' rides ' 974, 2566. 

So bit 'bids' 187, «/ 'sits' 1800, histe (subj. : vpriste) 1052, 
^//^ 'finds/ .$■ /<?;// ' stands/ worth ' becomes.' 

§ 1 78. The -<?, -<f;z of the third plural is sometimes -e y -en \ 
e.g. comen 687, sayn (:agayn) 1197, ^/<?^ (? in verse 
pause) 1 80 1. So in the pret. pi. gonne 1879 ; and frequently 
in the case of were, weren 313. 

§ 179. The Preterit Indicative inflections of strong verbs 
differ from those of weak verbs thus : — 



Sing. 



Plur. 

The second singular is often, through analogy, like the 
first and third persons. 

§ 180. The Preterit Subjunctive in strong verbs is formed 
on the preterit plural indicative stem, and has -e for singular 
ending and -en for plural. 

§ 181. The Imperative of strong verbs has no inflection 
in the singular; e.g. hetp 2312, and has the ending -eth in 
plural. Weak verbs have -e in the singular and -eth in the 
plural ; the -e of the singular is sometimes -e ; e.g. sende me 
hym 2325, cf. as sende loue and pees 2317. 

-eth forms were often used in singular, probably on ac- 
count of the plural pronoun ye being used for the singular 



Strong 


Weak 




spak 


ytf 


herde 


foited(e) 


spak{e) 


yaue 


herdest 


louedest 


spak 


yaf 


herde 


loued(e) 


spake (ri) 


yaue {71) 


herde (11) 


louede(ii) 



§ 1 8s INFLECTION lxix 

in polite address ; cf. ' Cometh neer, quod he, my lady 
Prior esse ' 839. 

§ 182. The Infinitive ending is -e or -en, the latter being 
frequently used to prevent elision as in 236 pley 'en on. This 
-e is always written though sometimes -e ; e.g. bigynne 853, 
paye 834, swere 454, /<?//<? 831. Stems ending in a vowel 
usually have -11 ; e.g. sen, goon, etc. Some instances of the 
O.E. gerundive survive in M.E. with an ending -ne ; there 
appears to be one of these in for to sene (O.E. seonne) 
{\grene) 2176, 1036. 

§ 183. The Present Participle has the ending -ynge, usually 
-ynge within the verse and -ynge in rhyme ; though perhaps 
folwynge this in 2367 and shakynge the in 2466 ; cf. too, 2557. 

§ 184. The Past Participle frequently has the prefix y- ; 
cf. § 80 (b). In strong forms the ending is -e, -en, which is 
frequently -e, -en. In weak verbs the ending is -ed, -d. 

PRETERIT PRESENT VERBS 

§ 185. These verbs, mostly used as auxiliary verbs in 
Chaucer's time, are old preterit forms. 

1. may. Pres. indie. 1st and 3d may, 2nd mayst 1289, 
pi. may, mowe (ow = u) 2999. The subjunctive is usually 
the same as the indicative, e.g. that we may 11 07; but 
also mowe (O.E. muge). Pret. indie, and subj. myghte 169, 
mighte. Infin. mowen, Bo. 1786 (Gl. Ch., p. 430). 

2. shal. Pres. indie. 1st and 3d shal, 2d shalt, pi. shal 
1822, shut 1821, shulle (Ell.) 2356, shullen 3014, shuln, 
Pret. indie, and subj. sholde 745, shulde (with vowel of 
present). 

3. tliar, 'it behooves.' Impers. in 3d sing. pres. thar, 
Bo. 352 (GL Ch., p. 368); pret. thurfte Tr. iii, 572 (Gl. Ch., 
p. 490), 



lxx MIDDLE-ENGLISH INFLECTION § 185 

4. can. Iridic, pres. 1st and 3d can, 2d canst, pi. can, 
conne. Subj. pres. conne, pret. kouthe 390, koude 382, 
130. Infin. conne, Tr. v, 1404 (p. 551). Adjectively used 
p.p. couthe 14. 

5. dar. Pres. indie. 1st and 3d dar 1151, 2d darsf, 
pi. dar, dorre, pret. dorste 227. 

6. r#o£. Pres. indie. 1st and 3d wgt, 2d wgst 2301 ; 
pi. «/£?/ 829, 1260, ze^/<? (Hn. 1260), witen (Ell. 1260) ; 
pret. wiste 224. Infin. witen. 

7. owe. 1st and 3d tfze/^, 2d owest, pi. #ze/<?, owen ; 
pret #£v^ (# = <?#) 505. 

8. mo£. 1st and 3d mot 1295, (?) /^/^ 1290, 2d 
moste, pi. ;/?#& 1185, niote 742. Subj. //z<?/^ pret. moste 
712. 

§ 186. Substantive Verb. — Pres. indie, sing. 1st am, 2d art, 
3d is; pi. <^#, &% and occasionally <zr/z (Merc, and North.), 
Tr. v, 1374 (p. 551) ; beth (South.) ; pres. subj. be, ben ; 
Imper. be, pi. beth; pret. indie. 1st and 3d was, 2d w$re ; 
pi. w$re, wp-e, wgren, wgren, pret. subj. w§re, w~$re ; p.p. 
been. 

The substantive verb is very frequently combined with the 
negative particle ne in nam (ne am), nas (ne was), ri$re 
(ne wgre) 

ANOMALOUS VERBS 

§ 187 wil. 1 st and 3d wil, wol (cf. § 64), 2d wilt 1156, 
wolt, wol; pi. wil, wol Si 6, wiln, woln (Ell.) 21 21. Pres. 
subj. wile, wolle ; pret. subj. wolde ; pret. wolde, wolde ; 
p.p. wold. 

do. Pres. indie. 1st dp, 2d dost, 3d doth; pi. don 268, 
pres. subj. dp, doon ; pret. indie, dide, dide, pi. diden, dide, 
d~eden (Merc, doldon) Tr. i, 82 (p. 439). Imper. sing, do 
2405, pi. doth; infin. don ; gerundive to done. 



§ 1 87 INFLECTION lxxi 

go. Pres. indie, gg, ggst, ggth, geth ( \d~gth, Leg. 2145, 
p. 619) ; pi. gg, ggn; subj. gg, ggn; imper. sing, gg ; pi. 
ggth; infin. ggn, gg ; pret. wente, 1 yede. 



1 Wente is the regular preterit of wendeii 'turn.' yedt is from 
O.E. ge-eode, assigned to O.E. gdn as a preterit. 



PART III. — SYNTAX 

The Syntax of Chaucer's English is in many respects like 
that of the English we use to-day. There are some striking 
differences, however, which it will be well for the student 
to become familiar with before beginning to read the Middle 
English. A complete discussion of the subject would require 
far more space than can be allotted to it in an elementary 
text-book. 

THE SUBJECT 

§ 1 88. The Subject is often left unexpressed in M.E. 
where it can easily be supplied from the context ; e.g. — 

I was of her felaweshipe anon 

And (we) made forward, etc., 33; cf. 811. 

. . . He herde a murmurynge 

. . . and (it) seyde thus : i Victorie ' 2433. 

With hym ther was a Plowman (who) was his brother 529. 

And (the hunter) hereth hym . . ., 

And (the lion) breketh both bowes and the leues, 

And (the hunter) thynketh, etc., 1640-43. 

So in 150, 478, 600, 829, 909, 1082, 1217, 1327. 

This omission is especially frequent with impersonal 
constructions ; e.g. — 

(It) Bifil that in that seson on a day, etc., 19. 

Novo is (it) me shape, etc., 1225. 

(Ther) Was nowher such a worthy vauasour 360. 

lxxii 



§ 1 92 -SYNTAX lxxiii 

But now is (it) tyme to yow for to telle 720. 

(It) Accorded not . . . 

To haue with sike lazars acqueyntaunce 245. 

So in 230, 244, 462, 849, 1 127, 1240. 

§ 189. The Subject is often repeated in the form of a 
pronoun ; e.g. — 

His officers with swifte feet they renne 2868; cf. 45, 936, 
941, 1687. 

APPOSITION 

§ 190. Nouns in M.E. are often used in apposition with 
pronouns ; e.g. — 

Of him, this woful louere, daun Arcite 1379. 
Of hym 9 Arcite 1333; cf. 12 10. 

The M.E. Appositive construction following proper names, 
which in N.E. is represented by an attributive construction, 
appears in — 

Of Thebes the citee, ' Of the city of Thebes '939. 

CASE 

§ 191. The Genitive construction is sometimes used 
instead of an adjective; e.g. — 

lyues creature 'living creature' 2395. 

noyse of peple 'popular clamor' 2660, cf. 2534; so noise of 

folk G 912, dite ofmusyk Bo. 1454, fortune of peple Bo. 

1421. 

§ 192. A Partitive Genitive occurs in — 

of ' smale houndes 'some little dogs' 146. 



lxxiv MIDDLE-ENGLISH SYNTAX § 193 

§ 193. The Direct object is sometimes proleptically stated 
in the form of a pronoun representing the object; e.g. — 

Who kouthe telle or who kouthe it endite, 
The Ioye that is maked, etc., 1872. 

§ 194. The Accusative of Measure is used more widely 
than in N.E. ; e.g. — 

tonne greet 1994. 

we riden a litel moore than paas 825. 

§ 195. The Dative is frequent with impersonal verbs; 

e.g.— 

me thynketh ' it seems to me '37. 

// ran hym in his mynde ' it occurred to him ' 1402. 

It semed me 'it seemed to me ' 39. 

Wo was his cook 'There was trouble in store for his cook* 351. 

ADJECTIVE 

§ 196. The Adjective is often used substantively to denote 
a quality ; e.g. — 

Were it of 'hoot, or cold, or moyste, or drye 420. 

offyn scarlet reed 456. 

at thy large ' at liberty ' 1283. 

To denote persons : — 

But al with riche ' but entirely with rich people ' 248. 

In apposition with a noun : — 

A Jrere ther was, a wantowne and a merye, 'There was a 
friar with us, a rough and jolly fellow ' 208. 

A monk there was, a fair for the maistrie ' There was a 
monk with us, a fine fellow in everyway ' 165 ; cf. 531, 
647, 1241. 



§ 2 °° SYNTAX l xxv 

§ 197- In the use of compound numeral adjectives the 
smaller number precedes the larger ; e.g. — 

nyne and twenty 24. 

fyue and twenty yeer ' twenty-five years ' 82. 

PRONOMINAL WORDS 
THE ARTICLE 

§ 198. The Indefinite Article still retains traces of its use 
as a numeral adjective (cf. § 117). 

§ 199. No Article is used before a noun expressing a 
general notion ; e.g. — 

greet harm was it ' it was a great pity ' 385. 
that was scathe ' that was a misfortune ' 1 446. 
And shame it is < and it is a shame '503. 
it was routhe < it was a pitiful thing ' 914. 
He was to synful man nat despitous < He was not supercilious 
to a sinner '516. 

In comparisons : — 

Sharp as point of spere <as sharp as the point of a spear' 1 14 
Swift as foul in flight < swift as a bird in its flight ' 190. 

PERSONAL PRONOUNS 

§ 200. The Personal Pronoun is also an indefinite pro- 
noun in M.E. ; e.g. — 

Althogh he (' a man ') were his brother 737. 
he sente hem hoom < he sent his captives home ' 400. 
See also 2550, 2606, 3030. 



1 Compare N.E. « Tis true 'tis pity, and pity 'tis 'tis true.' 






lxxvi MIDDLE-ENGLISH SYNTAX § 201 

§ 201 . The personal pronoun is sometimes used reflexively 

in M.E. ; e.g.— 

He rideth hym 1691. 

he wente hym hoom 2270. 

DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUN 

§ 202. The Demonstrative this is frequently used in M.E. 
with a light force ; e.g. — 

This Palamon 1620. 
This Arcite 1636. 

§ 203. That is often used to represent a preceding 
subject, expressed or implied, and its verb; e.g. — 
and that a worthy man ' and he was an excellent man ' 43. 
and that a greet ' and he was a great one ' {i.e. a great house- 
holder) 339. 
Withoute bake 7nete was neuer his hous 
Of fish and fiessh, and that ('and provisions were so 

plenteuous 
It snewed in his hous of mete and drynke 343"34S- 

With the verb repeated : — 

He was a I angler and a goliardeys 

And that (< his loose talk') was moost of synne and harlot- 
ries 560, 561 ; similarly in 2166. 

RELATIVE PRONOUN 

In M.E. the relative clause may be introduced in several 
ways ; viz. — 

§ 204. (a) By who or which (cf. § 139) in the proper 
case, or that (undeclined) as in N.E. ; e.g. 501. 



§ 210 SYNTAX lxxvii 

§ 205. (b) By who or which followed by that ; e.g. — 

whom that I s erne i whom I serve' 1231. 

He which that hath the shorteste shal begynne 836. 

What array that they were inne 41. 

§ 206. (c) By that followed by the personal pronoun in 
the proper case ; e.g. — 

That with a spere was thirled his brest boon ' whose breast 
was pierced,' etc., 2710. 

A knyght there was . . . that, from, etc., . . . he loued 
chin alrie ' There was a knight who had loved (for 
tense, cf. § 222) chivalry,' etc., 43, 44, 45. 

§ 207. (d) By as (though this form is not common) ; 
e.g.— 

May with his hundred as I spak of now 1858. 

§ 208. That is frequently a double relative ; e.g. — 
He kepte that he wan 442. 

§ 209. The relative pronoun may be used without an 
antecedent \ e.g. — 

Which ofyow that bereth him . . . 
Shal haue a soper, etc., 796. 

§ 210. The relative may have sivich for an antecedent; 

. . . in swich liquor 
Of which vertue engendred is the flour ' in a liquor so potent 
that of its energy the flower is born' 3. 



lxxviii MIDDLE-ENGLISH SYNTAX ,. § 211 

INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS 

§ 211. Which is frequently used both substantively and 
adjectively in M.E. in the sense of ' what sort of; e.g. — 

And whiche they were . . . And eek in what array that 
they were inne ' and what sort of persons they were, 
and what kind of appearance they made ' 40. 

For what as interrogative corresponding to N.E. ' why ' 
see § 141. 

THE VERB 
THE PREDICATE 

§ 212. The Predicate is often singular in M.E. though 

agreeing with two subjects; e.g. — 

*»■ 
And after rood the queene and Emelye 2571. 

§ 213. The Predicate agrees with the predicate noun 

rather than with its subject in such phrases as, — 

W 
It am nat 1 1460. 

§ 214. The Predicate is frequently omitted in narrative 
when it can be easily supplied from the context; e.g. — 

A Cristophre (was) on his brest, etc., 115. 
Wroght ful clene and we el 

Hir girdles and hir potiches (were) euerydeel 367 ; cf. 362, 
472, 473, 2145, 2163. 

THE INFINITIVE 

§ 215. The pure Infinitive (i.e. infinitive without to) is 
frequently used in M.E. where the corresponding N.E. idiom 
requires the preposition ; e.g. — 



§ 217 SYNTAX lxxix 

The statue . . . bigan his hauberk ryngt 2431. 

it is good a man been at his targe ' It is good for a man to 

be at liberty' 2288. 
me list . . . pleye 11 27. 

§ 216. The infinitive idiom to speke of is frequently 
used in M.E. with a prepositional force ; e.g. — 

ne was ther noon hym lik 
To speke of phisik and of surge rye 'There was no one like him 
for medicine and surgery' 413 ; cf. 142, 1829. 

§ 217. The Infinitive is often used in M.E. to describe 
general action related to the rest of the sentence in various 
ways. A substantively used participle with appropriate 
preposition has taken the place of this idiom in N.E. ; e.g. — 

What sholde he . . . make hymseluen wood vpon a book . . . 
' alwey to poure ? 'Why should he drive himself mad by 

continually poring over a book?' 184. 
comfort . . . is ther noon. 
To ride by the weye doumb as a stoon 'There is no solace 

in riding along the road,' etc., 774. 
His lord wel koude he plesen subtilly 
To yeue and lene hym of his owene good ' He knew how to 

please his master craftily by making gifts and loans to 

him out of his own property '611. 

So with nouns : — 

craft to rekene wel his tydes 'skill in reckoning,' etc., 401. 
hope wel to fare ' hope of faring well' 2435. 

With adjectives : — 
an esy man to yeue (in giving) penaunce 223. 



1XXX MIDDLE-ENGLISH SYNTAX § 217 

newe to bigynne Mate in beginning,' ' of recent date ' 428. 
wys to vndertake ' prudent in undertaking voyages ' 405 . 

§ 218. The Infinitive, with or without a subject, often 
follows an impersonal construction and represents the logical 
subject of the sentence. In N.E. the place of this idiom is 
in most cases taken by a subordinate clause introduced by 
that. In some cases, however, the old infinitive idiom 
remains, but is introduced by for; e.g. — 

// is nat likely a I thy lif 
To stonden in hir grace ' It is not likely that you will be in 

her favor all your life ' 1 1 73. 
// is Jul fair a man to here him euene ' It is a fine thing for 

a man to have self-control' 1523. 
No wonder is a lewed man to mste ' It is no wonder that a 

layman grows careless '502. 

The Infinitive was frequently employed in O.E. to express 
obligation, the person on whom the obligation rested being 
put in the Dative case ; e.g. 6 hwcst him is to donne, ' what he 
has to do.' In M.E. this developed into a construction in 
which the original object became the subject, giving such 
idioms as : oure conseil was not longe for to seeke, ' he did 
not have to wait long for our opinion ' 784. 

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD 

§ 219. The Subjunctive Mood is frequent in M.E. Some 
of its uses are the following : — 

§ 220. To express a condition : — 

But it were any persone obstinate ' But if it was some obsti- 
nate person '521. 
if a prest take keep ' if a priest will consider the matter' 503. 



§ 225 SYNTAX lxxxi 

But often the indicative is used ; e.g. — 
Foyne if hym list ' Let a man thrust if he wants to ' 2550. 

§221. To express any hypothetical notion : — 

Fid loo th were hym ' he would have disliked ' 486. 

Out of the court were it a myle or tweye ' It was perhaps a 

mile or two from the court' 1504. 
They seyden that it were a charitee, etc., 'They said that it 

would be a kindness/ etc., 1433. 
as yaw liste 'as you may please ' 1353. 

§ 222. To express concession : — 
Though in this world he haue care and wo, 1321 ; cf. 68. 

§ 223. With temporal particles : — 
Er . . . she me mercy heete 2398. 

THE TENSES 

§ 224. The Present Tense is used frequently to express a 
general truth even in a narrative in past time ; e.g. — 

A bettre preest I trowe that now her noon is 524. 
His berd was shaue as nygh as euer he can 588. 
Euerich for the wisdom that he can 
Was shaply for to been an alderman 372. 

§ 225. The Preterit Tense is frequently used for the 
N.E. pluperfect; e.g. — 

he was (' had been ') k nygh t of the shire 356. 

And by his couenant gaf (' had given ') the rekenyng. 

Syn that his lord was twenty yeer of age 601. 

She was ('had been') a worthy womman al hir lyue 459. 

Housbondes at chirche dore she hadde ('had had ')fyue 460. 



lxxxii MIDDLE-ENGLISH SYNTAX § 226 

§ 226. In M.E. the Historical Present and Preterit tenses 
are often connected in the same narrative ; e.g. — 

His baner he de splay eth and forth rood 966. 
Dooth to the ladyes wha?i they from hym wente 999. 
Cf. nas . . . taketh . . . spedde 1 2 1 7 ; 
is . . . gan 1782 ; 
was born . . . carieth 1633 ; 
£ra£ . . . fleeth 1468. 

§ 227. The Perfect Tense is formed by the auxiliary verb 
be in connection with verbs of motion ; e.g. — 

A r cite vnto the te?nple walked is 2368. 

ADVERBS 

§ 228. The adverbs wel and ful are frequently used like 
N.E. very, much, quite to give an adjective an added force; 

e.g.— 

ful plesaunt i^Syfulfefys i$7,fulsymple 119, wel good 614, 
wel bettre ' much better '256. 

§ 229. Titer is often used in M.E. with relative force, 
and must in such cases be rendered ' where ' : — 

Ther as he wiste 224. 

§ 230. Ther often repeats a place notion already ex- 
pressed : — 

At sessiouns ther was he Lord and Sire 255. 
In louedayes there could he muchel help 258. 

§ 231. As is frequently added to adverbs to show their 
relative character : — 

To take oure wey ther as (' thither') I yow deuyse 34. 
There as (where) this lord, etc., 172. 



§ 234 SYNTAX lxxxiii 

That is likewise added to adverbs introducing adverbial 
clauses giving combinations like when that i, 18 ; er that 36. 

§ 232. As is frequently used to introduce a ze//^ or <?</- 
juration (cf. N.E. ' so ' in ' so help me ') ; e.g. — 

As euere mote I drynke wyn or ale 832. 
As sende ??ie, etc., 2325. 
As keep me, etc., 2302. 

§ 233. The use of the negative adverb in M.E. does 
not as in N.E. prevent the employment of other negative 
words ; e.g. — 

// may nat avaunce 

For to deelen with no swich poraille 246. 
Compare 70, 251, 889, 2306. 

The adverb right (cf. N.E. just) often follows the phrase 
it modifies ; e.g. — 

Vpon the cop right (' right on the tip ') of his nose 554. 
As itwese right ('just as if he had been ') a whelp 257. 

PREPOSITIONS AND CONJUNCTIONS 

§ 234. The syntax of prepositions and conjunctions in 
M.E. is so intimately connected with the development of 
word meanings that it will be better for the student to get 
his elementary knowledge of the subject from a good glossary. 



PART IV. — VERSIFICATION 



STRESS 

§ 235. The Rhythm of Chaucer's verse, like that of N.E., 
depends upon stress. 

There are two kinds of stress, viz. that which distinguishes 
certain syllables of every polysyllabic word from the other 
syllables of the word, and may therefore be called word- 

f X " X 

stress; e.g. Caunt- and -hi- ( = bii) in the word Caunterbury ; 
and that which distinguishes a particular word from other 
words of the same group and may therefore be called 

X ' X 

se7itence- (i.e. sense-} stress ; e.g. shonres in his shoures} 

§ 236. There are at least two grades of stress in English, 
primary or full stress (denoted by ' ) and secondary or half 
stress (denoted by"). Absence of stress is denoted by x ; 

e, g* 'XX " x it x ' X 

specially That hem hath holpen 

§ 237. We do not know absolutely what the stress of 
Chaucer's English was, but we can make trustworthy infer- 
ences of its character from the laws governing the develop- 
ment of English (e.g. the one through the operation of 
which the vowels of inflexional syllables all become e in 
M.E.), and the following guiding principles are reasonably 
certain. 

1 Sentence-stress in English is always incident on that syllable of a 
word which already has word-stress; so that word-stress and sentence- 
stress never conflict. 

lxxxiv 



§241 VERSIFICATION lxxxv 

WORD-STRESS 
NATIVE WORDS 

A. Simple Words 

§ 238. The primary stress of native simple words falls 

/ t t 

upon the root-syllable ; e.g. heuenes never heuenes ; louede 

t / 

or louede never louede. 

B. Compound Words 

§ 239. Native Noun Compounds have primary stress on 

/ tt 

the root syllable of the first element; e.g. Caunterbury or 

t tt t tt t rt 

Cau7iterbu?y, bretherhed, neighebur. 

(1) For an apparent exception in Chaucer's verse see 
§ 250. 

(2) Some noun compounds follow the analogy of cor- 

t 
responding verbs, see § 241 ; e.g. answere. 

(3) The prefixes 1- ( = O.E. ge-) and un- are unstressed. 

(4) Where romance prefixes are added to native 

words the root takes the primary stress ; e.g. com- 

t t 

pounds of misdeede, misweyes. Romance suffixes 
added to native words take primary stress ; e.g. 

day e rye ( : pult?ye) 597. 
§ 240. Adjective and pronoun compounds take the stress 
of noun compounds. 

§ 241. Native Verbal Compounds, including adverbs and 

prepositions, have primary stress on the second element ; 

t it t t 

e.g. biseken, ouercomen, biknowe 1556. 



lxxxvi MIDDLE-ENGLISH VERSIFICATION §242 

§ 242. The stress of compound words that are made up 
of phrase-groups is determined by the sentence-stress of the 

original phrase ; e.g. away (O.E. on zuege) ; compound 

pronouns ending in -seine (11) thus have the primary stress 

on the last element; similarly adjective compounds such 
// t 

as short-sholdred 549, as if from short and sholder + ed. 

§ 243. A Secondary Stress falls upon any syllable of a 
polysyllabic word that is separated from another stressed syl- 

"X "X 9 

lable by an intervening unstressed syllable ; e.g. absolucioun 
222. 

§ 244. In compound words whose component elements 

are distinctly felt a secondary stress falls upon the element 

1 it t ti 

which is not primarily stressed \ e.g. yeldehalle 370, shirreue 

359- 

§ 245. The suffixes -dam, -nesse, -esse, -este, -/ied, -had, 
-ynge, -shipe have secondary stress in M.E. 

FOREIGN WORDS 
§ 246. Foreign words when first brought into English 
retained their foreign stress. 1 

1 As most of the foreign words in the English of Chaucer's time are 

of Norman French origin it will be well for the student to remember 

that in French words as a rule the last syllable of the word takes the 

primary stress if it does not end in -e; otherwise the next to the last 
ft x f x x // 9 rr x 9 tt x / 

has it; e.g. acco?nplice 2864, pitrgaiorie 1226; desirous 1 674, despitous 
516, still have their O.Fr. stress* 

* But they are rapidly assimilated to English stress laws. In Chaucer many of 

9 X 99 

these words are in a transition stage and can be stressed in both ways; e.g. felazve 

X / n 9 X 9 t I! x 9 

648 and felaxve 653 (O.N. felagi) ; honour 46 and honour 582 (O.Fr. honour); 

9 9t x / x ' ' " X ' X ' 

resoun and resoun (O.Fr. resoun); contree 864 and contree 869; plesaunt 138 
I tt x ' X 9 X 99 

and plesaunt 222; Arcita 2258 and Arcita 2256. 



§ 25 1 VERSIFICA TION lxxxvii 

§ 247. Secondary stress in foreign words follows the 
principles which govern the secondary stress of native words ; 

" x f 

e.g. compaynye. 

§ 248. It is probable, too, that when a foreign word took 
English stress its originally stressed syllable still retained a 

x ' r " 

secondary stress ; e.g. honour and honour. 



SENTENCE-STRESS 

§ 249. Sentence-stress was, as far as we know, practically 
the same as that of N.E. ; e.g. — 

X ' "X ' X ' X " 

The Reue was a sclendre colerik man 587. 

X ' " ' ' x » ' x 1 X 

To take oure wey ther as I yow deuyse 34. 

Chaucer makes use of certain licenses in regard to 
stress : — 

§ 250. The stress group f " (cf. §§ 244, 245) is often 
treated as " f in the verse ; e.g. — - 

X 1 tt t 

of his offryng 489. 

wynnyng ( : thing) 275 ; cf. 1 19, 326, 905, 901, 446. 

tt t tt r 

nianhod 756, foi'heed 154. 

it t tt t 

k nygh th ede ( : kyn 1'ede ) 2789. 

ft t x ft t x 

g/adneese ( : liknesse) 2841. 

» f X ' X X ' X 

goddesse Clemence {-.presence) 928. 

§ 251. Occasionally the verse accent falls on an unim- 
portant word which occurs between two accented syllables, 
and the word thus gets a secondary stress : — 



lxxxviii MIDDLE-ENGLISH VERSIFICATION §251 



'x 



. . . a fair for the 7?iaistrie 165. 

X ' " " X ' X " X 

The yeldyng of 1 his seed and of his greyn 596. 



Thus and in many cases receives the accent, as it frequently 
occurs between two unstressed syllables. 1 

THE VERSE 

§ 252. The normal verse of the Prologue and Knightes 
Tale is a series of five rising rhythm-waves, each wave being 
formed by a pair of syllables 2 the second of which receives 
more stress than the first. The height of the wave depends 
on the difference in the stress of the pair ; e.g. — 

X ' X ' " ' X ' tt t 

A trewe swynkere • and a good was he 

t tt x / x / tt x ' 

Lyuynge in pees • and parfit charitee 

' " X ' X 'x ft X ' X 

God lotted he best • 7vith al his hoole herte 

X " X ' X ' X ' X 'x 

At alle tymes • thogh him gamed or smerte 

x ft x 'x ft t x x t X 

A?td thanne his neighe-bonr ■• right as hymselue 531-535. 

§ 253. The difference between two successive syllables 
may be very slight ; e.g. — 

x t ft t x t ft t x f 

A whit cote and a blewe hood wered he s 564. 

1 Some of these words, however, had more sentence-stress in 
Chaucer's time than now; e.g. of (not yet ov or pv), was (not yet waz 
or woz or w?z). 

2 Of course a monosyllabic word is here considered as a syllable. 

3 Here, though the usual stress relationship of adjective and noun 
is that of secondary to primary, the adjective is more significant than 
the noun and has heavier stress, the meaning being that the Miller's 
coat was white and his hood was blue. 



§257 VERSIFICATION lxxxix 

§ 254. Chaucer, however, very rarely violates either word- 
stress or sentence-stress in his poetry, and his natural easy 
rhythm is one of the characteristics which distinguishes his 
verse from that of other poets of his day and generation.- 

THE VERSE PAUSE 

§ 255. Each verse is divided into two parts by a distinct 
pause (caesura) coincident with a pause in the sense. 1 

§ 256. The usual position for the pause is between the 
second and third accented syllable in the verse. It may 
directly follow the second accented syllable (masculine 2 
caesura), or immediately precede the third accented syllable 
(feminine caesura) ; e.g. — 

X * X " X "X 'X ' 

Whan Zephirus • eek with his swete breeth 

X ' X ' X * X ' X ' 

Inspired hath • in euery holt and heeth 

x ' x'x " x'x'x 

The tendre croppes *and the yonge sonne etc. 5. 

§ 257. But the pause may stand anywhere between the 
first accent and the fourth ; e.g. — 

' x " x ' " t x * x 

Gynglen • in a whistlynge wynd als cleere 1 70. 

x ' x n x ' x " x ' x 

Or swynken ivith his handes • and laboure 186. 

IRREGULARITIES OF VERSE STRUCTURE 

The normal verse of the Prologue and Knightes Tale, 
viz. a series of five simple waves of rising rhythm, divided 

1 This pause is regularly noted in the Ellesmere and Hengwrt Mss., 
and occasionally in the other Mss., by the sign /; in modern printing 
it is usually denoted by • . 

2 The German terms are 'stumpf and ' klingend ''/ * Rising Caesura' 
ami ' Falling Caesura ' would be better terms for English. 



XC MIDDLE-ENGLISH VERSIFICATION §257 

into two parts by a pause, is subject to the following 
variations : — 

§ 258. (1) Reversal of Rhythm. — The first rising wave 
of the verse and the wave immediately following the pause 
are very frequently reversed, giving the order ' x X ', etc. 

(a) At the beginning of the verse ; e.g. — 

'X x ' • " ' X 1 X » 

Vnder his belt he bar ful thriftily 105. 

1 11 it t x r x t x / 

Wei koude he dresse his takel ye manly 106. 

'x x ' n 1 it it x t x 

After the sondry sesons of the ye er 347. 

" x x ' • x ' x ' x ' x 

In a tabard he rood vpon a mere 541. 

So 125, 925, 2304, 2673, 2 79°> 2 79 T > etc -> etc - 

(b) After the pause ; e.g. — 

x n x ' x ' • ' x x ' 

And for to festne his hood under his chyn 

X ' X ' • ' XX'" ' 

He hadde of gold wroght a ful curious pyn 195, 196. 

x 'x 1 • ' X x 1 X f 

Who wrastleth best naked with oille enoynt 2961. 
So 320, 393, 503, 680, etc., etc. 

(c) Often in both places ; e.g. — 

1 X 11 1 t t! x " " 'X 

Trouthe and honour • fredom and curteisie 46. 

§ 259. (2) Additions to the normal verse : — 

(a) An extra unstressed syllable is frequently added at 
the end of the verse, and often before the pause. In 
the latter case two stressed syllables occur together 
without any reversal of the rhythm ; e.g. — 
9 n x ' x* x 'x in t x 

That in hir coppe ther was no ferthyng sene 134. 

t It x ' 11 • X ' x "x'x 

He 7i>as a shepherde and noght a mercenarie 514. 



§ 2 6o VERSIFICA TION xci 

t ft x ' " • X ' " ' X ' X 

Myn is the stranglyng and hangyng by the throte 2458. 

X ' X*" ' x ' x ' X ' x 

Thanne seyde he O crewel goddes that gouerne 1303. 
So 131, 494, 613, 1097, 2002, 2464, 2503, 2523, etc. 

(b) Very rarely an extra unstressed syllable is added at 
the beginning of a verse ; clear instances are : — 

xx f n '»'xx' " ' 

With a thredbare cope as is a poure scoter 260. 

xx 'x'x * x ' x'x 

Seuene he lines for to doon al his pies aunce B 4056. 

(c) But after the caesura at the beginning of the second 
part of the line the extra syllable is frequently added ; x 
e.g.— 

tt I tt t . X X 'X "x'x 

Ther nas no tygre in the vale of Galgopheye 2626. 

X ' X '* X X " x ' x'x 

Ne me tie list thilke opinions to telle 2813. 

X ' x " • X X " X " X ' 

Disherited of hir habitacionn 2926. 

x' x"x' • xx 'x" 

Is likned til a fissh that is walerlees 180. 

x 'x"*xx'x ' x' 

And Arcita that is in the court roial 1497. 

X ' X '*x 'x '*xx' 

And some wol haue a Pruce sheeld or a targe 2122. 2 

§ 260. 3. Subtractions from the normal verse: — 

(a) The unstressed syllable which begins the verse is 
frequently omitted : — 

' x ' x • ' X 'X ' 

Twenty bookes clad in blak or reed 294. 

" X ' X ' " "X ' 

/// a gowne of faldyng to the knee 391. 

1 The scribe of II4 evidently did not understand this characteristic 
of Chaucer's verse, for he is especially fond of exercising his ingenuity 
in 'doctoring' lines in which it occurs, and his doctorings have unfor- 
tunately been adopted into many modern Chaucer texts. 

2 The caesuras are as marked in a. 



xcii MIDDLE-ENGLISH VERSIFICATION §260 

t x ) II • II x ' " » 

Armed were they as I haue yow told 2126. 
Funeral he 7?iighte al accojnplice 2864. 

/ x 'X " X ' X " 

Nymphes, Fawnes, and Amadrides 2928. 
So 247, 1656, 2511, 1535, 2489, etc. 

(b) Possibly, too, the unstressed syllable at the begin- 
ning of the second half of the verse was occasionally 
omitted. 1 But this is rare in the Prologue and Knightes 
Tale. It does not seem possible to scan 2770 in any 
other way : — 

I II II I . / x ' X 'X 

Syn that my lyf may no lenger dure. 

2367 also yields the best rhythm when scanned — 

X ' X ' X I • I It I 

The nexte houre of Mars folwynge this, 

'ft I x 

since such a stress group as folwynge is unusual in 
Chaucer; see § 183. 

THE DIVISION OF THE VERSE INTO SYLLABLES 

While the syllable division of M.E. verse is in the main 
that of M.E. prose, there are some losses and slurrings of 
unstressed syllables that are peculiar to poetry. 

ELISION 

§ 261. A final unstressed e is lost before a word begin- 
ning with a vowel, before h in the lightly stressed words he, 
his, him y her, hit, and sometimes before how and heer; e.g. — 

' x ' x'x"x'x 

The droghte of March hath perced to the roote 2. 

1 it X ' X ' X ' X " 

Wei koude he dresse his takel yemanly 106. 

1 A theory stated by Zupitza in Archiv fur das Studium der neuren 

Sprachen, 89, 354, but the clear instances are so rare as to make the 
matter exceedingly doubtful. 



§264 VERSIFICATION xciii 

x ' x ' " ' x ' x ' 

On which ther was first write a crowned A 161. 

It I It I It t It I x " 

y<?z£/ loueres axe I now this questioun 1347. 
§ 262. But the elision is not always carried out; e.g. — 

x ' x ' x 'x * X ' 

That on his shyne a mormal hadde he 386 (cf. 298). 

" ' X ' X ' X ' X ' X 

No herd hadde he, ne neuer sholde haue 689. 

9 x 9 I x ' ' X ' 

So doute it 1322, cride A 1078, same is 2904. 

§ 263. Elision sometimes occurs before words beginning 
with h other than those given in § 261, but only where the 
h begins an unstressed syllable. Instances do not occur 

x t x 

in the Prologue and Knightes Tale ; but cf. to habundant 

t x 1 X ' x 1 

B 4115, and blisse habounde E 1286, crie 'Harrow' A 4072. 

§ 264. The elided -e is not always an inflectional syl- 
lable 1 e.g. — 

( 1 ) After / and r : — 

'XX * " ' X ' X ' 

77/tf / 4/" hir smylyng was ful symple and coy 119. 

X ' X " X ' X " x 'x 

Of A ris to tie and h is ph ilosoph ie 295. 

' X ' x ft X X ' X ' 

So pep le his apes 706, vnto his ordre he was 214. 

(2) In the unstressed form of the definite article : 1 — 

X ' X " X ' X ' 

Of woo deer aft wel koude he al the vsage no. 

t X 99 

So the effect n 89, the opposit 1894. 

1 Whether or not this elision took place before a word beginning 
with a consonant is not yet certain. 



xciv MIDDLE-ENGLISH VERSIFICA TIOiV § 264 

(3) The -e of the unstressed negative particle : — 

n t X ' X ' X ' X ' X 

Ne I ne axe 11 at tomorwe to haue uictorie 2239. 

(This weakening of ne also frequently occurs before 

words beginning with a consonant ; but there are no 

clear instances of it in the Prologue and Knightes 

Tale.) 

§ 265. Other unstressed vowels than -e are sometimes 

elided before a following word beginning with a vowel. 

(1) The unstressed -o in to with the infinitive (also in 
unto occasionally) ; e.g. — 

X ' X ' X ' X ' X ' X 

And certes lord to abyden youre presence 927. 

This elision is sometimes indicated in the writing ; e.g. — ■ 

'XX ' " ' X " X ' X 

This was the forward, pleynly for tendite 1209. 

(2) 1 in romance words (but rarely) ; e.g. — 

X ' " ' X ' X ' X " 

The groynynge and the pryuee empoysonyng 2460. 

f X ' x 'x 1 ft f 

Departed is with duetee and honour 3060. 

§ 266. An initial unstressed vowel is frequently lost after 
a word ending with a long vowel or diphthong; e.g. — 

x ' x f x • " x ' n * 

And where they engendred and of what humour 421. 

" ' x ' x • " x n x ' x 

So es tally was he of his gouernaunce 281. 
So are to be explained thou art 1608, / am 16 18, By 
eterne word 1 109. 

SYNCOPE OF UNSTRESSED SYLLABLES 

267. The loss of the medial unstressed vowel before a 
single liquid or nasal (cf. § 78) was probably more common 
• in poetry than in prose. 



§271 VERSIFICATION XCV 

§ 268. Unstressed e before a final liquid or nasal is fre- 
quently slurred. This usually takes place before a following 
unstressed syllable beginning with a vowel or h : — 

x ' x ' x ' x ' X ' 

.///> herd tu as s ha tie as nygh as euer he kan 588. 

X ' " ' X 'X ' X ' 

7/z curteisie was set ful muchel hir lest 132 (cf. 211). 

' X ' X ' X ' X ' X 

For he hadde geten hym yet 110 benefice 291. 

So possibly 394, 400, though in these instances the verse- 
pause coming after the syllable in question allows us to scan 
the lines in accordance with § 259 (a). 

§ 269. In a few words of romance origin ending in -/<?, 
-re (?= -el, -er), the final -e is slurred before words begin- 
ning with a consonant, in which case they would seem to 
come under § 268 rather than under § 264 : e.g. — 

X ' X ' X ' X 

A gentle Maunciple 1 was ther of a te?nple 567. 

X ' X ' X ' X " X ' 

Of his diete mesurable was he 435. 

x'x t . x ' x'x'x 

And yet this Maunciple sette hir alter cappe 586. 

§ 270. Words ending in -ie (-ye) are subject to the prin- 
ciple stated in § 78 (c) ; e.g. murie steuene 2562. But -ie- 
(-ye-), -ue- in the middle of a word often counts for but one 
syllable, the i or u becoming consonantal y or w ; 2 e.g. 

' _x f x n ' x " 

bister 322, caryeden 2900, famulier 215 (cf. B 1221), 

' x : " x'x" 

murierly 714, perpetiielly 1 1 76. 

§ 271. This also usually takes place when the -ie, -ue .is 
final and followed by an unstressed word beginning with a 

1 The O.Fr. form of the word is mancipe, but that will not explain 435. 

'x 1 x " ' x 

2 For such forms as Theseus 2523 (cf. Theseus 1883), Penneus 2064, 

see S 68. 



XCvi MIDDLE-ENGLISH VERSIFICATION §271 

vowel or h y the three vowels thus merging into one syllable ; 
e.g.— 

' X X ' X ^Jt^ X " X ' x 

Thyn is the victorie of this anenture 1235. 

' X " ^^ t • X ' X ' X 

Solitarie he was and enere allone 1365. 

X ' X ' „ ^x 1 X ' X ' x 

The rede statue of Mars with spere a?id targe 975. 
So 870, 872, 916, 917, 1898, 2698, 3057. 
Sometimes, however, only the -e of -ye is lost; e.g. — 

X " X ' x • ' " t x " 

Ne yet the folye of kyng Sa/amon 1942. 

x'x'*x 'x ' X" 

Of felony e and a I the compassyng 1996. 
§ 272. The final y of many and any is often joined to a 

' X X 

following vowel; e.g. 7?iany a 349, 350, 406, 2101, any 

' X 

other 1 6 1 1 . 

§ 273. This and is are frequently joined in one word in 
M.E. verse ; cf. B 4247 and variants. 

RHYME 

§ 274. Chaucer's rhymes as a rule depend upon the pair- 
ing of vowels and diphthongs which are alike in respect both 
of quality and quantity. The exceptions are as follows : — 
(1) Words which we should from their history expect 
to have ~e often rhyme with words whose develop- 
ment requires ^, and vice versa} 

1 These are chiefly words containg O.E. a> (cf. § 66, note). To 
cover such cases Ten Brink assumed a class of words which sometimes 
had I and sometimes e. As a large per cent of these words are such 
as show a change from e to | in early N.E. being written with ea, 
where we should expect ee or i>, perhaps the simplest assumption is that 
they were already becoming open in Chaucer's time. 



§ 278 VERSIFICA TION XCV11 

(2) gu regularly rhymes with gu in Chaucer (cf. §§70 
(b), (c), 75 (b)) ; but ~eu and ~eu do not rhyme with 
one another (cf. § 75 (c), (d)). 

§ 275. The rhyme is always on the last stressed syllable 
of the verse. This may be followed by an unstressed syl- 

X ' X x t x 

lable, thus making double rhyme ; e.g. Egeus : Theseus 

* X X ' X 

2905, 6 ; rente : assente 1 373, 4. 

§ 276. The rhyming syllables may begin with the same 

X ' X X 

consonant and thus be identical in sound ; e.g. deuyse : ser- 

t X 

tiyse 1425, 6 ; was come : ouer come 2799, 2800. 

§ 277. In the case of double rhymes the unstressed part 
of the rhyme is often a separate word with light sentence- 
stress ; e.g. nonys (nonce) : noon ys (none is) 523, 4. 

§ 278. Words which are the same in sound may rhyme 
with one another provided their meanings or inflectional 
forms are different ; e.g. — 

X ' X * 

I may, in May 1461, 2; to se : the large see 1955, 6; 
he . . . caste \ I caste 2171, 2. So in 1837, 8; 2233, 4. 

1 The final -e in Chaucer is always sounded at the end of a verse, so 

t x 
that we never have such rhymes as would be rente \y sent (pp. of sende) 

or -ye rhyming with -y. 



INDEX 



The Arabic numerals refer to the sections of the grammar. 
The Roman numerals after a verb indicate the class to which it belongs. 
Single vowels left unmarked are short. A long mark over ou (ow) denotes 
that it is u. 



a, < O.E. ea, 65 ; before », m, in 
French words, 6; development 
of, in N.E., 9 ; (0) + nasal, + 
nasal and voiced consonant, 61. 

a, >N.E. ei, 10; written double, 6. 

abegge, wk. vb., II, 173. 

aboughte, see abegge. 

Accusative endings used to form 
adverbs, 122. 

Accusative of measure, 194. 

Additions to normal verse, 259. 

Adjective compounds, stress of, 
240. 

Adjectives, comparison of, 123- 
126; numeral, 117, 118; com- 
pound numeral, 197; possessive, 
132; used substantively, 196; 
weak, use of, 115. 

Adverb compounds, stress of, 241. 

Adverbs, comparison of, 127 ; 
double forms of, 121 ; formed 
by case endings, 122; formed 
from prepositional phrases, 122; 
historic ending of, 119; inor- 
ganic ending of, 120, 121; uses 
of, 228-233. 

ai, < O.Fr., 90 (3, 4) ; < O.E. && 
69 (a) ; development of, in N.E., 

al, adjectival, 143; distributive, 

144; in pronominal use, 143. 
aller y 113. 



am, 186. 

Analogy, influence of, on inflection, 
91. 

Anomalous verbs, 187. 

answerde, 169. 

answere, n., stress of, 239 (2). 

Appositive construction, 190. 

arise, st. vb. I, 154. 

arisen, see arise. 

dm, see am. 

args, see arise. 

Article, definite, 133; omitted, 199; 
survival of neuter of, 134; sur- 
vival of oblique cases, 135; indefi- 
nite as numeral, 198. 

as, added to adverbs, 231; to intro- 
duce a wish, 232. 

Assimilation, 84 (c), 85 (c), 87; 
of d to /, 175 (2); of \> to d, 

1 75 (4). 

atte, 87; atten, 135. 

au {aw), < O.E. ag, 70 (a); < 
O.E. aw, 75 (a) ; a -f nasal 
and consonant written au, 6, 
62; au > N.E. q, 9 (a), 24. 

angh, < O.E. guttural vowel -f- h, 
72 (b), 73 (a). 

Auxiliary verbs, 185. 

aw, see au, 

b, loss of, in N.E., 37; unhistoric, 

88 (b). 



INDEX 



baar, see bgre. 

bad, see bidde. 

bake, st. vb. VI, 162. 

bar, see bgre. 

baren, see bgre. 

be, see am ; inflection of, 186, 1. 

b^d, see bede. 

bede, st. vb. II, 155. 

bgden, see bidde. 

beer, see £|r^. 

begin ne, st. vb. Ill, 159. 

beigh, see &?«;*. 

A?/z, see am. 

b'ere, st. vb. IV, 1 60. 

bet, see ^?. 

b'ete, st. vb. VII, 163. 

bidde, st. vb. V, 161. 

bide, st. vb. I, 154. 

binde, st. vb. Ill, 159. 

bite, st. vb. I, 154. 

blenchen, wk. vb. II, 175 (6). 

bleynte, see ble?ichen. 

blowe, st. vb. VII, 163. 

bgden, see &?<&. 

£p/v, see £|r*. 

bgthe, inflection of, 145. 

bowe, st. vb. II, 155. 

boiven, see bowe. 

brak, see brgke. 

brast, see breste. 

br'eke, st. vb. IV, 160. 

brenne, st. vb. Ill, 159. 

^7\tf£, st. vb. Ill, 158. 

brgw, see brewe. 

brewe, st. vb. II, 155. 

bringe, wk. vb. II, 173. 

broken, see brgke. 

brosten, see breste. 

broughte, see bringe. 

broiike, st. vb. II, 155. 

bulden, wk. vb. II, 175, 2 (b). 

by-doluen, see <&/»;. 



<r, final, lost, 121 ; intervocalic, 79 
(d) ; loss of, in unstressed sylla- 
ble, 79 (c) ; palatalization of 
O.E. c, 79 (a), (b), (c) ; sounds 
of, 8, 42; (s) written tin N.E., 42. 

cacche, wk. vb. II, 173. 

Caesura, 255-257. 

cam, see come. 

can, inflection of, 185, 4. 

carf, see kerue. 

caste, pret. 175 (5). 

caste, wk. vb. II, 175 (5). 

caughte, see cacche. 

ch, <O.E. c, 79 (a), (b), (c); 
sound of, 8. 

r//|j-, see chese. 

chese, st. vb. II, 155. 

chgsen, see ^£y*. 

~cioun, sound of, 8. 

cladde, see clothe. 

d'epe, wk. vb. I, 167. 

*f/#^, 175 (4). 

cleue, st. vb. II, 155. 

climbe, st. vb. Ill, 159. 

clguen, see <:/<?#£. 

<:<?#*, see come. 

come, st. vb. IV, 160. 

comen, see <T0Wd\ 

Concession, expressed by subjunc- 
tive, 222. 

Condition, expressed by subjunc- 
tive, 220. 

Conjunctions, 234. 

conne, see can. 

Consonants, development of 
< O.E., 79-87; doubled in 
M.E. and N.E., 35; representa- 
tion of, 8; unhistoric, ^; unhis- 
toric in N.E., 45. 

Contracted forms in present third 
singular, 177. 

convey e, wk. vb. I, 168. 



INDEX 



CI 



coruen, see kerue. 
coude, see can. 
couthe, see can, kouthe. 
crip, see crepe, 
crepe, st. vb. II, 155. 
cride, pret. of crien, 169. 
crgpeit, see crepe. 
crowe, st. vb. VII, 163. 
cwake, st. vb. VI, 162. 

</, -f /-sound, development of in 
N.E., 40; loss of, 85 (d); > th 
in N. E., 43; unhistoric, %% (c). 

dalf, see delue. 

dar, inflection of, 185, 5. 

Dative, singular, form of, 98; 
with impersonal verb, 195. 

deden, see do. 

delue, st. vb. Ill, 158. 

Demonstrative pronoun, 136, 137, 
202, 203. 

d$re, wk. vb. I, 166. 

derre, 125. 

dide, pret. of dien, 169. 

dide, see do. 

Diphthongs, development of in 
N.E., 23-30, 77; due to c, 76; 
due to h, 71-73; due to 70, 
74-75; < O.Fr., 90 (3); pro- 
duced by O.E. g, 68-70; repre- 
sentation of, 7. 

Direct object, proleptic, 193. 

dp, inflection of, 187. 

dorre, see dar. 

dorste, see dar. 

Double forms from O.Fr., 90 (2), 

(4), (5)- 
drank, see drinke. 
drawe, st. vb. VI, 162. 
drgde, VII, 163; wk. forms of, 163. 
dr$me, wk. vb. II, 172. 
drenchen, wk. vb. II, 175 (6). 



drezv, see drawe. 

dreynt, participle, 175 (6); see 

drenchen. 
drinke, st. vb. Ill, 1 59 
driuen, see driue. 
driue, st. vb. I, 154. 
drgf 9 see driue. 
dronk, see drinke. 
dronken, see drinke, 
di'ougk, see drawe. 
draw, see drawe. 
dulue, see delue. 

e, < O.E. eo, 65; (Kent.) < O.E. 
y, 63; loss of in unstressed syl- 
lable, 78 (b), (c), 94, 108, no, 
119; loss of in inflected syl- 
lable, 78 (a), 91; M.E. develop- 
ments of in N.E., 11; sound of 
in inflected syllable, 78 (a) ; 
representation of in inflected 
syllable, 78 (a). 

e, < O.E. eo, 65; < O.E. a, 66; 
due to Id, 58. 

i < O.E. ea, 65; < O.E. a, 66; 
<< O.Fr. ai or ei, 90 (4) ; due to 
stress lengthening, 58. 

e, I, distinction between, 6. 

e, development of in N.E., 12, 13; 
written double, 6 ; unhistoric 
final -e, 95. 

eet, see $te. 

ei, < O.Fr. 90 (4) ; development of 
in N.E., 23; produced by c, 76. 

ei, < O.E. eg, ceg, 69, (b) ; < O.E. 
palatal vowel -f g, 69 (b), (c). 

eigh> < O.E. palatal vowel -f h, 
72 (a), (b), (c). 

Elision, 261-266. 

eo (Fr. tie), development of in 
N.E., 29. 

Ire, wk. vb. I, 166. 



Cll 



INDEX 



lie, st. vb. V, 161. 

£ten, see Ite. 

eu, ezv, < O.E. palatal vowel -f w, 

75 (c), (d). 
luerich, 147. 
'euerichon, 147. 
'euery, 147. 

*2^ < O.Fr. £, 90 (6). 
*?w , see <?«. 

eyther, inflection of, 146. 
-eynte, prets. in, 175 (6). 

yj assimilation of, 84 (c), 87; inter- 
vocalic voiced, representation of, 
84 (a) ; loss of, 84 (b). 

falle, VII, 163. 

fare, St. vb. VI, 162. 

fa tight, see fighten. 

fide, wk. vb. II, 172. 

filen, wk. vb. II, 175, 2 (b). 

fell, see falle. 

fet, see fette. 

fette, wk. vb. II, 175, 2 (a). 

fighten, st. vb. Ill, 158. 

fill, see fa He. 

finde, st. vb. Ill, 159. 

faugh, see fly en. 

fileigh, see fly en. 

fien, st. vb. II, 155. 

fiele, st. vb. II, 155. 

fildwen, see fly en. 

fly, pret. II, 155. 

fly en, st. vb. II, 155. 

fond, see flnde. 

Foreign words, stress of, 246-248. 

forsake, st. vb. VI, 162. 

foughien, see fighten. 

fo~unden, see flnde. 

ful, 228. 

g -f guttural vowel < O.E. g, 80 
(a) ; sounds of, 8. 



gat, see gete. 

Genitive, plural, 99; singular, end- 
ing of, 92, 97; singular, without 
ending, 97; singular, ending 
used to form adverb, 122; used 
as adjective, 191 ; used as parti- 
tive, 192. 

glte, st. vb. V, 161. 

ggten, see glte. 

Gerundives, 182. 

gh, represented by 3> 8. 

girden, wk. vb. II, 175, 2 (b). 

glide, inf. 154. 

gnawe, st. vb. VI, 162. 

gnow, see gnawe. 

gg, inflection of, 187. 

grannie, wk. vb. I, 168. 

grinde, st. vb. 159. 

growe, VII, 163. 

h (gh), development of in N.E., 44. 

h, diphthong due to, 71-73; loss 

of initial, 86; written gh, 71, 

77(0- 
hade, 84 (b). 
haf see hgue. 
halp, see helpe. 
hdn, see hdue. 
hdue, wk. vb. II, 174. 
heelp, see helpe. 
hefi see hgue. 
held, see hglde. 
helde, see hglde. 
h'ele, 160. 
heng, see honge. 
helpe, st. vb. Ill, 158. 
k$re, wk. vb. II, 172. 
h^rie, wk. vb. I, 166. 
hit, see hgte. 
h'eue, st. vb. VI, 162. 
highi, see hgte. 
highte, see hote, note. 



INDEX 



cm 



kglde,\ll, 163. 
holpen, see helpe. 
hojige, st. vb. VII, 1 63. 
honour -e, wk. vb. I, 168. 
hgte, st. vb. VII, 163. 
Hypothetical notion expressed by 
subjunctive, 221. 

i, corresponding to N.E. 1, 14; 
interchangeable with y, 6; 
< O. E. y, 63; sounds of, 8. 

i, < O.E. palatal vowel + g, 69 
(d) ; M.E. development of in 
N.E., 15. 

ic 9 ich, 1st person, pronoun, 128. 

igh, < O.E. palatal vowel -f h, 
72 (c), (d). 

Imperative of Strong and Weak 
Verbs, 181. 

Impersonal verbs, construction, 
214; dative with, 195; infinitive 
with, 218; predicate omitted 
with, 214. 

Indefinite pronoun, 142. 

Infinitive, ending of, 182; syntax 
of, 215-218. 

Inflection of adjectives, 107-116; 
of nouns, 92-106; of verbs, 
176-184; of verbs in infinitive, 
182; in imperative, 181; in 
present, 176, 177, 178; in 
present participle, 183; in past 
participle, 184; in preterite, 
179, 180. 

Interrogative pronoun, 140, 141, 
211. 

is/awe, see styn. 

is /aye, see sign. 

k, < O.E. c, 79 (a); sound of, 8. 
kepe, wk. vb. II, 172. 
kerue, st. vb. Ill, 158. 



kidde, see kythe. 

knezv, see knowe, 

knitte, wk. vb. II, 171. 

knowe, st. vb. Ill, 163. 

koude, see kowthe. 

koHthe, use of in Chaucer, 85 (b). 

kythe, wk. vb. II, 175, 4. 

/, loss of in N.E., 37; O.E., loss of 
medial, 8^ (a), of final 8^ (b). 

/at, im. vb., see late. 

lat, see lete. 

late, st. vb. VII, 163. 

laughe, st. vb. VI, 162. 

lay, see tie. 

Id, lengthenings due to, 47. 

l^de, wk. vb. II, 172. 

leigh, see lyen. 

lengei', 124. 

Lengthenings due to consonant 
groups, 46, ft., to nib, 49; to nd, 
48; to rfi, 50; to rd, 50; to rn, 
50; to stjxss, 52-54; prevented 
by liquid or nasal in following 
syllable, 51, 53 ; by ig in follow- 
ing syllable, 54. 

lep, see type. 

type, st. vb. VII, 163. 

let, see lete. 

lete, st. vb. III. 163. 

tyue, wk. vb. II, 172. 

leyn, see fie. 

-lie, adjective suffix, 121. 

lie, st. vb. V, 161. 

liggen, see lie. 

Loss of c in unstressed syllable, 79 
(c) ; intervocalic, 79 (d) ; final, 
121; of d, 85 (d); of inter- 
vocalic/, .84 (a); of initial h, 
86; of /inN.E., 37; of O.E. /, 
medial and final, 83; of final n, 
82 (b), 91 ; of unstressed vowel, 



CiV 



INDEX 



78 (b), (c), 94, 108, no, 267; 

ofw, 81; of y<0&,ge, 80(b). 
loue, wk. vb. I, 167. 
lough, see laughe. 
-fy t 127. 
/jW, see lyen. 
lyen, st. vb. II, 155. 

may, inflection of, 185, I. 

make, wk. vb. I, 167. 

mb, lengthening due to, 49. 

me, see men. 

men, indefinite pronoun, 149. 

mpien, wk. vb. II, 175, 2 (b). 

metan, wk. vb. II, 175, 2 (a). 

?mghte, see may. 

moorne, 159. 

niQste, see ;;;<?/. 

w<?/, inflection of, 185, 8. 

mowe, see way/. 

«, final, lost, 82 (b), 91 ; preserved, 
82 (b) ; < O.E. fin$l ?n, 82 (a), 
91. 

nam, see &*'/«£. 

««/«, 186. 

nas, 186. 

«^, lengthenings due to, 48. 

Negative adverb, 233. 

neither, 146. 

w|r<?, wk. vb. I, 186. 

ner, nerre, 125. 

nime, st. vb. IV, 160. 

nomen, see nime. 

Nominative, generalization of, 92; 
singular ending of, 93, 95; 
plural, form of, 99-106. 

nonce, for the, 135. 

Noun compounds, stress of, 239. 

Nouns, inflection of, 92-106 ; syn- 
tax of, 191-195. 

Numeral adjective, cardinal, de- 



clension of, 117; ordinal, 118; 
compound, 197. 

0, -f nasal > N.E. cz, 9 (c) ; M.E. 
developments of in N.E. 

g and 5 not distinguished by 
scribes, 6. 

g, < O.E. a, 60; M.E. develop- 
ments of in N.E., 17, 18 ; due to 
group or stress lengthening, 58; 
written double, 6. 

written for u and ou {u), 6; for 
on, 7. 

oughte, see &ive. 

oi, > N.E. ot, 28. 

Old French words, development of 
in M.E., 90. 

Old Norse words in English, 89. 

Omission of unstressed syllable in 
verse, 260. 

other, a form of eyther, 146. 

ou, development of in N.E., 26, 

77 (5)- 
ou (ow), < O.E. guttural vowel + 
g, 70 (b), (c) ; < O.E, aw, ow, 

75 (b). 

ou > N.E. ow, 27, 77 (5). 

ou (w), < O.Fr. ou, 90 (1) ; repre- 
sentation of, 6; diphthong, repre- 
sentation of, 7. 

ough, < O.E. ah, 73, b; < O.E. 
oh, oh -f consonant, 73 (c). 

-ow, unstressed form of 2d person 
pronoun, 129. 

ow, see ou, u. 

oive, inflection of, 185, 7. 

p, unhistoric, 88 (a). 

participle, ending of present, 183; 

ending of past, 184. 
passe, wk. vb. I, 168. 
Perfect tense, formation of, 227. 



INDEX 



CV 



Personal pronoun, 200-201. 
Possessive adjective, 132. 
Predicate, syntax of, 212-214. 
Prepositions, 234; stress of, 241. 
Prepositional phrases used to form 

adverbs, 122. 
Present indicative and subjunctive, 

176, 177, 178. 
Present tense to express general 

truth, 244; historical, 226. 
Preterite, indicative, 179; subjunc- 
tive, 180; used for pluperfect, 

225 ; historical, 226. 
preyde, 169. 
Primary stress, of foreign words, 

246; of noun compounds, 239; 

of simple words, 238; of verbal 

compounds, 241. 
Pronoun compounds, stress of, 240. 
Pronouns, demonstrative, 133, 202, 

203; indefinite, 142 ff., 200; 

interrogative, 140,211; personal, 

1st pers., 128, 2d pers., 129, 3d 

pers., 130, used reflexively, 201; 

relative, 138, 204-210; used as 

proleptic object, 193. 
Proper names, form of, 96. 
punysshe, wk. vb. I, 168. 

quook, preterite of quake, 167. 

r, in N.E., 38. 

ran, see renne. 

raughte, see rgche. 

r/?, lengthening due to, 50. 

rd, lengthening due to, 50. 

rgche, wk. vb. II, 173. 

rgden, VII, 163; weak forms of, 

163. 
Reflexive use of personal pronoun, 

201. 
reighte, see r^che. 



Relative pronoun, 138, 139, 204- 

210. 
renne, st. vb. Ill, 159. 
Reversal of rhythm, 258. 
Rhyme, 274-278. 
ride, st. vb. I, 154. 
riden, see ride, 
ringe, st. vb. Ill, 159. 
rlue, st. vb. I, 154. 
rn, lengthening due to, 50. 
rgd, see ride, 
rgme, wk. vb. I, 168. 
ronnen, see renne. 

sat, see sitte. 

saugh, see sen. 

saw, see sen. 

sch, sound of, 8. 

Secondary stress, 243-245. 

seet, pret. of sitte, see sitte, n. 4. 

seke, wk. vb. II, 173. 

self, inflection of, 150. 

selle, wk. vb. II, 173. 

selue, see self. 

seme, wk. vb. II, 1 72. 

sen, st. vb. V, 161. 

senden, wk. vb. II, 175, 2 (b). 

sengen, wk. vb. II, 175, 7. 

Sentence stress, 249-251. 

sgten, see sitte. 

s^th, see sethe. 

sethe, st. vb. II, 155. 

sette, wk. vb. II, 171. 

seyen, wk. vb. II, 174. 

seynde, pret. 175, 5, see sengen. 

s/z, < O.E. sc, 79 (e) ; see sch. 

shake, st. vb. VI, 162. 

shal, inflection of, 185, 2. 

shape, 162, n. 5. 

sh$de, VII, 163; wk. forms of, 163. 

shef see shouuen. 

sh^re, st. vb. IV, 160. 



CV1 



INDEX 



shete, st. vb. II, 1 55. 

shine, st. vb. I, 154. 

shgf, see shouuen. 

sholde, see shal. 

Shortenings due to two or more 

consonants, 55, 175 (1); to nas. 

or liq. or ig in following syllable, 

56 ; to light stress, 57. 
shouen, see shottuen. 
shouuen, st. vb. II, 155. 
shrine, inf. 154. 
shulde, see shal. 
sh alien, see shal. 
singe, st. vb. Ill, 159. 
sinke, st. vb. Ill, 159. 
si tie, st. vb. V, 161. 
sign, st. vb. VI, 162. 
slip, see slepe. 
slepe, wk. vb. II, 172. 
slepe, st. vb. VII, 163. 
slough, see sign, 
sloiu, see sign, 
smite, inf. 154. 
sgden, see sethe. 
sglde, see selle. 
som, inflection of, 15 1. 
somme, see som. 
songen, see singe, 
soong, see singe, 
sought, see seke. 
spak, see spgke. 
sp^ke, st. vb. IV, 160. 
spinne, st. vb. Ill, 159. 
spgken, see spgke. 
sporne, wk. vb. I, 159. 
sprgde, wk. vb. II, 172. 
sprengen, wk. vb. II, 175 (7). 
spreynde, pret. 175 (7); see 

sprengen. 
springe, st. vb. 159. 
ssh, see sch. 
stal, see stgle. 



stape, see steppe. 

star/, see sterue. 

st'ele, st. vb. IV, 160. 

steppe, st. vb. VI, 162. 

j/fr^, wk. vb. 166. 

sterue, st. vb. Ill, 158. 

stinge, st. vb. Ill, 159. 

stod, see stoude. 

stgleu, see .tf|/£. 

stonde, st. vb. VI, 162. 

storuen, see sterue. 

straugkte, see strecche. 

strecche, wk. vb. II, 173. 

streighte, see strecche. 

Stress, grades 0^235-251; stress- 
lengthening, 52; stress of O.Fr. 
words, 90 (5) ; word-stress, 238- 
248; sentence-stress, 249-251. 

striue, st. vb. I, 154. 

Subject, repeated, 189; unex- 
pressed, 188. 

Subjunctive, hypothetical notion 
expressed by, 221 ; uses of, 219- 
223. 

Substantive verb, inflection of, 
186, 1. 

Substantive use of adjective, 196. 

Subtractions from the normal 
verse, 260. 

such, see swich. 

suffice, wk. vb. I, 168. 

swal, see swelle. 

swelle, st. vb. Ill, 158. 

szugre, st. vb. VI, 162. 

swich, inflection of, 152. 

s?uimme, st. vb. Ill, 159. 

swinke, st. vb. Ill, 159. 

swollen, see swelle. 

swgren, see swgre. 

syen, see sen. 

Syncope of unstressed syllables, 
267-273. 



INDEX 



CV11 



t, 4- j sound, development of in 
N.E., 39. 

take, st. vb. VI, 162. 

taught, see tiche. 

tiche, wk. vb. II, 173. 

telle, wk. vb. II, 173. 

Temporal particles, subjunctive 
with, 223. 

Tenses, uses of, 224-227. 

tire, st. vb. IV, 160. 

th (}?), voiced and voiceless, 8; 
assimilation of, 85 (c), 87; loss 
of intervocalic, 85 (a). 

thar, inflection of, 185, 3. 

that, added to adverbs, 232. 

thenke, wk. vb. II, 173. 

ther, relative, 229; repetitive, 
230. 

thilke, 148. 

thg, plural of demonstrative pro- 
noun, 136. 

thoughte, see thenke, thynke. 

thresshe, st. inf. Ill, 158. 

thriue, inf. 154. 

throwe, VII, 163. 

thurfte, see thar. 

thynke, wk. vb. II, 173. 

tpk, see take. 

tglde, see telle. 

u, developments of in N.E., 19, 22; 

< O.E. w, 74; representation 

of, 6. 
u, < O.E. guttural vowel + g, 70 

(d) ; development of in N.E., 

20, 77 (2), 77 (4) ; written ou, 6. 
ii, (S.W.) < O.V.y, 63. 
u (Fr.), development of in N. E, 

20, 21; written ew in M.E., 

90 (6). 
ugh (ough) <O.E. oh, uh, 73 (d). 
ui, development of in N.E., 30. 



Umlauted form of comparatives, 

124. 
Unhistoric consonants, 88. 

v, representation of, 8, 84 (a). 

Verbal compounds, stress of, 241- 
242. 

Verbs, anomalous, 187; auxiliary, 
185; strong, Class I, 154; Class 
II, 155; Class III, 157-159; 
Class IV, 156, 160; Class V, 156, 
161; Class VI, 162; Class VII, 
163; weak, Class I, 164, 165; 
Class II, 164, 170-175. 

Verse, the normal, 252; additions 
to normal v., 259; irregularities 
of, 258-260; verse-pause, 255- 

257. 

Voicing of intervocalic /, 84 (a). 

Vowels, development of < O.E., 
59-66; development of un- 
stressed vowels in N.E., 33-34; 
loss of unstressed vowel, 78 (b), 
(c), 94, 108, no, 267; repre- 
sentation of, 6. 

w, final, development of in N.E., 
36; influence of on a, 9 (e) ; 
inorganic initial in N.E., 36; 
influence of on palatal vowel, 64; 
last element of diphthong, 7; 
loss of, 81 ; < O.E. g or // pre- 
ceded by a liquid, 80 (d), (e). 

wake, st. vb. VI, 162. 

wan, see winne. 

zoarth, see worthe. 

was, see am. 

wass/ie, st. vb. VI, 162. 

waxe (st. vb. VII, 162, 163). 

we I, 228. 

wente, seegp. 

wep, see wepe. 



CV111 



INDEX 



wepe, st. vb. VII, 1 63. 

w^re, see am. 

wire, st. vb. IV, 160. 

zufre, wk. vb. I, 166. 

wesshe, see wasshe. 

whette, wk. vb. II, 171. 

which, rel. pro. 139; interrogative 

pro. 140. 
wit, inflection of, 187. 
winde, st. vb. Ill, 159. 
winne, st. vb. Ill, 159. 
wirche, wk. vb. II, 173. 
wiste, see wgt. 
witen, see wgt. 
wolde, see wil. 
wonder, used as adv., 122. 
wonne, see winne. 
wgpen, see wepe. 
Word-stress, foreign words, 246; 

native words, 238. 
worthe, st. vb. Ill, 158. 
wgt, inflection of, 185, 6. 
wrak, see wrgke. 
wrlke, st. vb. V, 161. 
wrie, st. vb. I, 154 and note. 
write, inf. 154. 



writen, see write, 
wrgken, see wr^ke. 
wroughte, see wirche. 
wrgt, see write. 

y, as a consonant, 8; as a vowel, 
see 1; < O.E. g -f palatal 
vowel, 80 (a), (b); as last ele- 
ment of diphthong, 7; loss of y 
< O.E. ge, 80 (b) ; represented 
by z, 8. 

yaf, see ylue. 

yduen, see jj'|/^. 

yede, see ^p. 

jjfAfc, st. vb. Ill, 158. 

ylue, st. vb. V, 161. 

y'euen, see ylue. 

yiue, see yeue. 

ygld, see yelde. 

yglden, see ^f Zafc. 

jj^tt, see sen. 

z, voiced s in French words, 8. 

3, printed y or £#, or z, 8; repre- 
senting -« in words of French 
origin, 8. 



A BRIEF SKETCH OF CHAUCER'S 

LIFE 



Geoffrey Chaucer, the son of John Chaucer, a London 
wine merchant, 1 and of Agnes, his wife, was born, probably 
in London, about 1340. The date is a matter of inference 
from the known facts of his life. The most important of 
those bearing on his age are a few entries in a fragment 
of the Household-Book of the Countess of Ulster, 2 wife of 
Prince Lionel, the third son of Edward III., which record 
certain expenses for the clothing and gratuities of Geoffrey 
Chaucer. As the sums set down against his name are in 
each case small in comparison with those paid to the other 
servants of the Household, it has been concluded that 
Chaucer was a page in the family. The record is for the 
years 135 7—1359, and Chaucer, if a page, must have been 
then under twenty. Again, in the Prologue to the Man of 
Lawes Tale, the poet tells us that in his youth he wrote 
about Ceyx and Alcioun, the story made use of in his poem 
on the Dethe of Blaunche, the Countess of Lancaster (cp. 
Globe Chaucer, p. 311), which is evidently early work and 
must have been written in 1369 or 1370. 3 Had he been 

1 As he tells us himself in a deed dated June 19, 1380; cp. Thynne's 
A?iimadversions, ed. Furnivall, E.E.T.S. 9, p. 12, Note 2. 

2 Published in full by the Chaucer Society, Life Records of Chaucer, III., 
p. 97 ff. 

3 But there may have been a poem of earlier date on Ceyx and Alcioun, 
which was later incorporated into the Dethe of Blaunche. 

cix 



CX A BRIEF SKETCH OF CHAUCER'S LIFE 

born earlier than 1340, he would hardly have referred to 
himself as a youth at this time. 

Again, in giving testimony at the Scrope trial on Octo- 
ber 15, 1386, Geoffrey Chaucer is described as being of the 
age of forty years and upward (xl am et plus), and as hav- 
ing borne arms for twenty-seven years. As the ages of the 
other deponents are put down but roughly, in some cases 
being in error by as much as ten years, no great importance 
is to be attached to the clerk's statement that Chaucer was 
forty years old and upward. But the entry concerning his 
military service is more significant, and is vital to the com- 
petence of Chaucer's testimony as to how long the Scrope 
family had worn the arms they claimed. He testifies that 
in the French campaign of 1359, up to the time when he 
was taken prisoner, he had frequently seen Sir Richard 
Scrope publicly bearing the arms in question. The clerk's 
statement, " armed for twenty-seven years," then "amounts 
to saying that the French expedition of 1359 was Chaucer's 
first campaign. If he had been born later than 1340, he 
would have been less than twenty years old at the time. 

Fitting this, scanty evidence together, scholars have 
assumed 1340 as the date of Chaucer's birth. This would 
make him a seventeen-year-old page in 1357, a nineteen- 
year-old soldier in 1359, and a young poet writing on the 
Dethe of Blaunche, at twenty-nine. 

While Hoccleve's address to Chaucer as " Universal 
fader of science " is likely to be a somewhat exaggerated 
title, there is, nevertheless, such abundant evidence of wide 
reading and familiarity with mediaeval learning in Chaucer's 
work that we may easily assume for him an education, for 
his time, comparatively accurate and complete. But there 
is no direct evidence as to where he obtained it. It may 
have been in the household of Prince Lionel, it may have 



A BRIEF SKETCH OF CHAUCER'S LIFE cxi 

been at Oxford or at Cambridge. Both Universities have 
put forth their claims, but as yet they have offered nothing 
more than claims. His familiarity with the surroundings of 
Cambridge, as shown in the Miller's Tale, could have been 
gained without residence there. His connection with Strode 
and the tradition that his son Lewis studied at Oxford is 
equally untrustworthy evidence of his having himself been 
an Oxford student. Chaucer tells us of his fondness for 
reading, and we know from the Prologue what a shrewd 
observer of men and things he was ; such a disposition 
making the best use of the opportunities of a great house 
would naturally have produced a fairly well-trained scholar 
without the aid of either of the Universities. 

Our first accurate knowledge of the poet is that we get 
from the Household- Books already referred to, covering his 
service with the wife of Prince Lionel during the years 
135 7-1359. That he took part in the French campaign of 
Edward III., probably in the retinue of Prince Lionel, and 
was taken prisoner, we have from his testimony in the 
Scrope suit. In March, 1360, the king contributed ^16 
to his ransom (money was worth then from ten to twenty 
times what it is now). 

From 1360 to 1367 we know nothing of Chaucer. On 
June 20, 1367, he is granted by the king a pension of twenty 
marks, the payment of which in half-yearly instalments of 
£6 13s. 6d. begins on November 6 of the same year. 
The pension is for past and future services, and he is styled 
dilectus valettus nosier; so it is likely that Chaucer had 
already been in the Royal Household for some time, and 
had enjoyed considerable favor. His duties as valet were 
those of personal attendance upon the king. 1 

1 For an account of what such service was, see Life Records, II., edited 
by Dr. Furnivall, Chaucer Society, 1876. 



CX11 A BRIEF SKETCH OF CHAUCER'S LIFE 

The sums thus recorded from time to time in the Issue 
Rolls of the Exchequer as drawn per manus proprias or by 
deputy, tell us something of Chaucer's whereabouts when 
each payment is made. 

In an order for gifts to the Household on December 25, 
1368, he is called " squire of less degree." He is first called 
armiger when sent on secret business of the king on Decem- 
ber 1, 1372, though in a subsequent payment of his pension 
he is again valettus. After November 22, 1373, however, 
he is always armiger} 

His position of valet and squire soon grew into the 
more responsible one of diplomatic messenger to the king. 
There is official record of his having been in France in 1369. 
In 1370 he receives letters of protection for travel in foreign 
parts. On November 12, 1372, he is one of a commission 
to treat with the Duke and citizens of Genoa (and the record 
adds that he went to Florence, too), about choosing a port 
for a Genoese commercial establishment in England. He 
starts on this mission on the 1st of December, and returns 
on the 28th of April, 1373. It used to be thought that this 
his first Italian journey was the occasion of his becoming 
acquainted with Petrarch, then living at Acqua near Padua. 
But the shortness of Chaucer's visit makes this unlikely. 2 

From this time on, evidences of royal favor are frequent 
and significant. On April 3, 1374, a pitcher of wine daily 

1 The records from which these and similar statements that follow are 
drawn are designated in Dr. Furnivall's Temporary Preface to the Six-Text 
Chaucer (the permanent preface is not yet published), in Professor Skeat's 
Oxford Edition of Chaucer's Works, Vol. I., and in Sir H. Nicholas' Me- 
moir of Chaucer (to be found in Vol. I. of the Aldine Edition of Chaucer 's 
Works, by Dr. Morris), where many of them are printed in full. 

2 See Mr. Mather's note in the N. Y. Nation, October 8, 1898, and his 
copy of the document there referred to in Modern Language Notes for 
December, 1898. 



A BRIEF SKETCH OF CHAUCER'S LIFE cxiil 

is granted him for life, a favor which is commuted to an 
annual pension of twenty marks in the first year of 
Richard II. On May 10, 1374, Chaucer leases a house 
over the gate known as Aldgate, which he occupies until 
October, 1386. 

On June 8, 1374, he is made Comptroller of Customs on 
Wools, Skins, and Tanned Hides, with the express stipula- 
tion that he shall perform his duties himself and not by 
deputy. How onerous they were one can gather from read- 
ing Hous of Fame {Globe Chancer, p. 566), 139 ff. On 
June 13 he is granted another pension of ^10 for life on 
account of the good services of himself and his wife, Phi- 
lippa, to " the Duke (of Lancaster) and his consort, and to 
his Queen." In 1375 he is the recipient of two lucrative 
appointments as guardian of the minors, Edmond Staple- 
gate and William de Solys, of Kent. 

In 1376 the king awards him the fine of ^71 4^. 6d. 
which John Kent was amerced for shipping wool to Dor- 
drecht without paying the duty. 

In December, 1376, and in February, 1377, he is again 
abroad on secret business of the King, on the latter occasion 
in Flanders, whence he returned on the 25 th of March. On 
April 20 he is granted letters of protection to be in force 
until August 1, being again engaged in the king's business 
abroad. This was doubtless as one of the commissioners to 
negotiate a peace with France. In June, 1377, Edward III. 
died. 

During this period (136 7-1 3 7 7), Chaucer's career was 
brilliant and rapid. Marks of royal favor, pensions, diplo- 
matic missions, all attest the confidence the king had in 
him. And it was no wonder. Any one who will read the 
Prologue carefully can see why Chaucer, even without friends 
and poetic talent, should have been successful at court. 



Cxiv A BRIEF SKETCH OF CHAUCER'S LIFE 

Quiet, modest, tactful, shrewd, full of sly humor, it is not 
strange that he should have been often intrusted with the 
king's business. It was during this period, or some little 
while before, that he married. The date is uncertain, and 
there has been much dispute about the person and position 
of his wife. It is clear that her name was Philippa Chaucer 
on December 12, 1366, and that she was one of the ladies 
in waiting on the Queen, though her title, domicella camera 
Regijice, is not evidence that she was unmarried. We know 
that Philippa Chaucer was Geoffrey Chaucer's wife on May 
31, 1377. It is likely that they were married as early as 
1366. If they were not married then, they must have been 
cousins and married at least as early as 1374. Speculation 
can go further and connect a Philippa Panetaria (?) in 
the household of the Countess of Ulster in 1357, with the 
Philippa who afterward became Philippa Chaucer. There 
is much evidence, too, pointing to the conclusion that 
Philippa, demoiselle of the Queen's chamber, was the 
daughter of Sir Payne Roet of Hainault, and sister of the 
Katherine Roet who was John of Gaunt's third wife. 
If this is so, the Thomas Chaucer who bore the Roet 
arms, and was a man of some eminence in the early part 
of the fifteenth century, was Geoffrey Chaucer's son, and 
Elizabeth Chaucer, for whose novitiate in the Abbey of 
Barking, John of Gaunt paid ^51 8s. 2d. in 1381, may 
have been the poet's daughter. The question, however, is 
not definitely settled. 1 

The Royal favor and confidence which Chaucer enjoyed 
under Edward III. did not cease with the king's death. 
Early in 1378 he is sent on an important mission to France 



1 For an interesting summary of the evidence on this point, see Professor 
Hale's letter in the Athenceum of March 31, 1888, p. 404. 



A BRIEF SKETCH OF CHAUCER'S LIFE CXV 

to negotiate for the marriage of the king with the French 
Princess, and again in May, 1378, to Italy, power of attorney 
having been granted to John Gower, the poet, and Richard 
Forrester to represent him during his absence. He prob- 
ably returned on the 19th of September. In 13 79-1 380 
there is scant official trace of him. The spring payment of 
his pension in 1379 (May 24) is by deputy, which would 
lead to the inference that he was then absent from London, 
but on December 9 he received the money per manus pro- 
prias. On the 8th of May, 1382, he is appointed Comp- 
troller of the Petty Customs of the Port of London, with 
permission to discharge his duties by deputy. On Novem- 
ber 23, 1383, he is especially commended for his assiduity, 
labor, and diligence in his office, and on the 17th of Feb- 
ruary, 1385, he is permitted to discharge the duties of his 
Collectorship of Customs on Wool, etc., by deputy. In 
1386, he is elected a member of Parliament from Kent. 

During this Parliament John of Gaunt and the Lancas- 
trian party lost the power which they had hitherto held over 
the young king. Administrative changes followed, and in 
December, 1386, the poet had to give up both his Comp- 
trollerships. The straitened circumstances into which this 
cast him give us the probable explanation of his assign- 
ing two of his pensions to John Scalvy on May r, 1388. 
But he still retained the one granted by the Duke of Lan- 
caster in 1374. The last payment of his wife's pension is 
recorded on June 18, 1387, giving ground for the inference 
that she died between this and the time for the next pay- 
ment. The period that followed must have been the dark- 
est of Chaucer's life. His affairs changed for the better, 
however, a year later, when Richard II. took the reins of 
government in his own hands. This occurred on the 3d of 
May, 1389, and two months later, July 12, Chaucer received 



CXvi A BRIEF SKETCH OF CHAUCER'S LIFE 

the appointment of Clerk of the King's Works, which gave 
him a regular income of two shillings a day. 1 He occupied 
this office, however, for only two years, and was succeeded 
in it by John Gedney, September 16, 1391. 

In the autumn of 1390 he was the victim of a highway 
robbery, losing his horse and ^19 3^. 8a 7 . of the king's 
money. The robbers were caught and punished, and 
Chaucer was expressly released from the obligation to make 
good the loss by a writ of January 6, 1391. 

From this time on he seems to have been frequently 
in straits for money. He writes to his friend Scogan, at 
Court, to use his influence in his behalf {Globe Chancer, 
p. 632). Royal favor must have still remained to him, for 
on February 28, 1394, Richard granted him a pension of 
^20, which he draws frequently in advance. In 1398 his 
enemies are suing him for debt, and the king again inter- 
venes with letters of protection. In October, 1398, the 
king grants him a tun of wine. 

The accession of Henry IV. in September, 1399, brought 
to the throne the son of Chaucer's former patron, the Duke 
of Lancaster, and a personal friend. The poet is not long 
in making a direct appeal to him with a " Compleint to his 
Empty Purse " ( Globe Chaucer, p. 634), which meets with a 
generous response in the way of a pension of 40 marks. 
With this pension, and his earlier one of ^20, Chaucer 
must have looked forward to a period of ease and comfort 
in the house in the garden of St. Mary's Chapel, Westmin- 
ster, which he leased for a rental of £2 13^. 4a 7 . at Christ- 
mas, 1399. 



1 Three official documents connected with his incumbency of this office 
were copied and published by Mr. Selby in the Athenceum for January 28, 
1888, p. 116. 



A BRIEF SKETCH OF CHAUCER'S LIFE cxvii 

In 1400 the half-yearly pension granted by Richard II. 
is paid February 21, and on June 5, ^5 of the half-yearly 
sum of J~8 13^. 6d. due him is drawn for him by Henry 
Somer. This is the last official trace we have of Geoffrey 
Chaucer. On October 25, 1400, according to a tradition 
probably well founded, and already current in 1556, he died, 
and was buried in Westminster Abbey. 1 

The impression which Chaucer made on his contempora- 
ries almost always finds expression in their admiration of his 
skill in the use of language. 

Even in the dark ages of English criticism, when all accu- 
rate knowledge of Middle-English idiom was lost, when 
ignorance of Middle-English sounds and inflections had 
obscured, in a large measure, the delicacy of his rhythm, 
and when the blind following of Renaissance traditions made 
all but the best of English literature appear mean and vul- 
gar, even then Chaucer's matchless skill in using words seems 
to have been felt distinctly, despite ignorance and prejudice. 
And it is not strange. There is no writing like that of the 
Prologue in all English literature, save in Shakspere. 

But it is not only a skill in words ; it lies deeper than that 
in an intimate knowledge of men and things, the source of 
all literary excellence. Of his Canterbury Pilgrims each 
has his peculiar dress, his peculiar character, even his pecul- 
iar idiom. And they act on one another with that friction 
and resistance which make up human life. The stories they 
tell are mediaeval, though not without literary graces, due to 
Chaucer's handling, but the story-tellers themselves are 
modern, or rather, being human, are for all time : Harry 
Baily, with his rough tact and his jolly good nature, not 



1 For a description of Chaucer's works, see the Introduction of the Globe 
Chaucer. 



CXviii A BRIEF SKETCH OF CHAUCER'S LIFE 

without its tincture of shrewdness, as when he tells them his 
journey with them will not cost them a penny, all the while 
knowing that the success of it and the story-telling will line 
his fat landlord's pockets with good coin of the realm ; the 
courtly knight ; the lady prioress ; the rascally monk ; the 
scant-haired, pious fraud of a Pardoner ; the half-drunken 
miller ; the absent-minded, shy student ; the shrewd lawyer, 
who seemed shrewder than he was ; the kindly parson ; the 
doctor, long in league with the apothecary ; nay, the poet 
himself, poking fun at his own early attempts in Romantic 
verse. Thrown together for a few days of travelling, in the 
hands of the poet they play their parts with such skill that 
their jolly group haunts the reader with an exuberance of life 
that makes generation after generation of English men and 
women debtors to their shy, mirth-loving creator. It may 
be doubted if there is anywhere a single literary work of 
the compass of Chaucer's Prologue into which so much 
human interest has been packed. And it is worth any stu- 
dent's while, be he young or old, to master Middle-Eng- 
lish, if only to read this one piece of its literature. 



THE MSS. OF THE CANTERBURY 
TALES 

There are fifty-seven known Mss. of the Canterbury Tales, 
all of which vary more or less from the original prototype. 
The intricate problem of their various relations to one an- 
other was solved, at least for the Pardoner } s Tale, after long 
and tedious toil by the late Professor Zupitza of Berlin. 1 

Of these Mss. seven are accessible in the publications of 
the Chaucer Society, viz. : Ellesmere (El), Hengwrt (Hn), 
University Library, Cambridge, Gg, 4.27 (Gg), Corpus (Co), 
at Oxford, Petworth (Pe), Lansdowne (Ln), Harleian 7334 
(H 4 ). As worked out by Professor Zupitza, the Mss. fall 
into four groups : the first group (Group a) contains only 
El and Hn, and is incomparably superior to the others in 
point of accurate representation of Chaucer's inflections ; 
the second group (Group fi) contains six Mss., no one of 
which has yet been printed ; the third group (Group y) 
contains three Mss., one of which, Gg, is printed in the 
Six-Text Edition of the Chaucer Society ; the fourth group 
(Group 8) contains three known Mss., one of which is H 4 , 
and the lost source of a large number of late and untrust- 
worthy Mss. which we designate collectively by the Greek 
letter e. These late Mss. divide into subclasses called by 
Zupitza the Se Group and the Tc L Group respectively. Out 

1 Cf. his Specimens of Unprinted Mss. of the Pardoner 's Tale, 
parts I.-IV., published by the Chaucer Society. 



CXX MANUSCRIPTS OF THE CANTERBURY TALES 

of the Se Group flows the Pe Grou^ (represented by Pet- 
worth in the Six-Text Edition), and from the Tcj Group is 
derived the Co Group (represented in the Six-Text by Corpus 
and Lansdowne). The relationship of the texts used for this 
edition may be conveniently represented by the following 
diagram : — 




The grouping arrived at by Zupitza for the Pardoner's 
Tale holds also for the tales printed in this edition. H 4 
shows a peculiar set of variations of its own, most of them 
evidently due to the effort of the scribe to correct what 
seemed to him infelicitous rhythms. 

It has been suggested that H 4 represents Chaucer's own 
revision of the Canterbury Tales; but a study of its individ- 
ual peculiarities shows that most of them are due to an effort 
to make up in the rhythm for lost inflectional syllables, or to 
remove irregularities of verse structure, or to modernize 
Chaucer's vocabulary ; and the effort does not always meet 
with a happy success. Such efforts at botching are apparent, 
e.g., in 292, 299, 305, 307, 324, 334, 363, 746, 772, 778, 803, 
876, 2012, 2489. A few changes are, perhaps, betterments; 
cf., e.g., 485, 528, 686, 1906, 2037. It is evident that in 
H 4 we have an edited Ms., the work of an unusually intelli- 
gent scribe ; that the scribe worked from a Ms. of the 8 



MANUSCRIPTS OF THE CANTERBURY TALES CXX1 

group, but had before him a Ms. of the a group, and possi- 
bly a Gg Ms., which he consulted frequently. 1 If it were not 
that many of his changes are so weak, and so often betray 
a misunderstanding of the text, and that no trace of them 
is found in later Mss., we might be tempted to attach some 
importance to his work. But as it is, they lack authority, 
whether they are for better or for worse, and Chaucer scholars 
have long made the mistake of paying too much attention to 
them. 

In printing the variants, mere variations of spelling are 
not noted, and readings peculiar to a single Ms., save in 
the case of El or Hn, are likewise not recorded unless they 
possess unusual interest. 

To make an ideal Chaucer text we need several good Mss. of 
the /3 group, including Cambridge Dd 4. 24 and another Ms. 
of the y group, to decide the issue for us in cases where the 
weight of Ms. evidence is evenly distributed. But such cases 
are not very frequent in the Prologue and the Knightes Tale. 
Scribes are always at their best in the early part of a long 
piece of copying. Even without this additional testimony, 
therefore, the student may feel a reasonable confidence in 
the text here presented, the first really critical text for any 
part of the Canterbury Tales. 

1 H4 often runs with Hn; e.g., in vv. 140, 161, 178, 207, 217, 309, 
524, 613, 1981. It shows traces of readings found only in Gg in vv. 
519, 525, 1695, J 7 26 > 1811, 1817, 1967. 



THE PROLOGUE 

Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote 
The droghte of March hath perced to the roote, 
And bathed euery veyne in swich licour 
Of which vertu engendred is the flour ; 
Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth 5 

Inspired hath in euery holt and heeth 
The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne 
Hath in the Ram his halue cours yronne, 
And smale fowles maken melodye, 
That slepen al the nyght with open ye, 10 

So priketh hem nature in hir corages ; 
Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages, 
And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes. 
To feme halwes kowthe in sondry londes, 
And specially from euery shires ende 15 

Of Engelond to Caunturbury they wende, 
The hooly blisful martir for to seke, 
That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke. 

Bifil that in that seson on a day 
In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay 20 

Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage 

I. Gg does not begin until v. 37. The variants marked H2 
(MS., Harl. 1758) supply its place up to that point. Co begins at 
v. 73; up to that point the variants are from Se' (Bodleian, Arch 
Selden, B. 14). 8. a half. 9. a foweles. 10. El H 2 (Co Pe eyghe) 
eye, H4 Ln yhe (El has same mistake in 1096, cp. § 69, c). 14. Se 
seme for feme. 18. Se Ln omit 2d that. 19. Hn H4 H2 Ln bifel, 
see § 163; other MSS. sesoun, see § 6. 



2 THE PROLOGUE [A 22-51 

To Caunterbury with ful deuout corage, 

At nyght was come in to that hostelrye 

Wei nyne and twenty in a compaignye 

Of sondry folk, by auenture y-falle 25 

In felaweshipe ; and pilgrimes were they alle, 

That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde. 

The chambres and the stables weren wyde, 

And wel we weren esed atte beste. 

And, shortly, whan the sonne was to reste, 30 

So hadde I spoken with hem euerychon, 

That I was of hir felaweshipe anon ; 

And made forward erly for to ryse 

To take oure wey ther, as I yow deuyse; 

But nathelees, whil I haue tyme and space, 35 

Er that I ferther in this tale pace, 
Me thynketh it acordaunt to resoun 
To telle yow al the condicioun 
Of ech of hem so as it semed me, 

And whiche they were and of what degree, 40 

And eek in what array that they were inne ; 
And at a Knyght than wol I first bigynne. 

A Knyght ther was and that a worthy man, 
That, fro the tyme that he first bigan 
To riden out, he loued chiualrie, 45 

Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisie. 
Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre, 
And therto hadde he riden, no man ferre, 
As wel in cristendom as in hethenesse, 
And euere honoured for his worthynesse. 50 

At Alisaundre he was whan it was wonne ; 

23. FA were for was. 24. Pe Ln on for in. 28. e omits 2d the. 
29. e omits we. 40. H4 weren. 49. Hn H4 omit 2d in. 



^52-So] THE PROLOGUE - 3 

Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne 

Abouen alle nacions in Pruce. 

In Lettow hadde he reysed and in Ruce — 

No cristen man so ofte of his degree. 55 

In Gernade at the seege eek hadde he be 

Of Algezir and riden in Belmarye. 

At Lyeys was he and at Satalye, 

Whan they were wonne ; and in the Grete See 

At many a noble armee hadde he be. 60 

At mortal batailles hadde he been fiftene, 

And foughten for oure feith at Tramyssene 

In lystes thries, and ay slayn his foo. 

This ilke worthy knyght hadde been also 

Somtyme with the lord of Palatye 65 

Agayn another hethen in Turkye ; 

And eueremoore he hadde a souereyn prys. 

And though that he were worthy, he was wys, 

And of his port as meeke as is a mayde. 

He neuere yet no vileynye ne sayde 70 

In al his lyf vnto no maner wight. 

He was a verray par fit, gentil knyght. 

But for to tellen yow of his array, 
His hors were goode, but he was nat gay ; 
Of fustian he wered a gypon 75 

Al bismotered with his habergeon, 
For he was late y-come from his viage, 
And wente for to doon his pilgrymage. 
• % With hym ther was his sone, a yong Squier, 

A louyere and a lusty bacheler, &o 

56. H4 omits eek. 57. H4 at for of. 58. Gg Ln leyeys. 59 fol- 
lows 60 in H 4 . 60. H4ariue; Gg aryue. 62. Hn foghten. 68. H4 e 
was for were; H4 omits that. 70. Hn ne for he and he for ne. 
73. e omits But. 74. El weren, H4 Ln was for were; Hn H4 ne was. 
76. Gg besloteryd. 77. H 4 Hn comen, Gg Ln come. 80. Hn Gg 
louere. 



4 THE PROLOGUE \A 81-108 

With lokkes crulle as they were leyd in presse. 

Of twenty yeer of age he was, I gesse. 

Of his stature he was of euene lengthe, 

And wonderly delyuere and of greet strengthe ; 

And he hadde been somtyme in chyuachie 85 

In Flaundres, in Artoys and Pycardie, 

And born hym weel, as of so litel space, 

In hope to stonden in his lady grace. 

Embrouded was he, as it were a meede 

Al ful of fresshe floures whyte and reede ; 90 

Syngynge he was, or floytynge, al the day ; 

He was as fressh as is the monthe of May. 

Short was his gowne with sleues longe and wyde ; 

Wei koude he sitte on hors and faire ryde \ 

He koude songes make and wel endite, 95 

Iuste and eek daunce and weel purtreye and write. 

So hoote he louede that by nyghtertale 

He sleep namoore than dooth a nyghtyngale. 

Curteis he was, lowely and seruysable, 

And carf biforn his fader at the table. 100 

A Yeman hadde he and seruantz namo 
At that tyme, for hym liste ride soo, 
And he was clad in cote and hood of grene. 
A sheef of pecok arwes, bright and kene, 
Vnder his belt he bar ful thriftily — 105 

Wel koude he dresse his takel yemanly, 
His arwes drouped noght with fetheres lowe — 
And in his hand he baar a myghty bowe. 

82. Hn H4 he was of age. 84. H4 e and greet of s. 86. Gg H4 
Pe Ln in Pycardie. 87. Hn H4 as in/or as of. 89. Co Pe em- 

broydid. 91. Gg Ln floutynge. 92. El in for is. 94. H4 wel 
cowde he for faire. 95. Hn H4 wel m. and en. 98. a Gg Pe Ln 
slepte (see § 163). 101. Hn he hadde. 10S. II4 e hond (see § 61). 



A 109-137] THE PROLOGUE 5 

A not heed hadde he, with a broun visage. 

Of woodecraft wel koude he al the vsage. no 

Vpon his arm he baar a gay bracer, 

And by his syde a svverd and a bokeler, 

And on that oother syde a gay daggere 

Harneised wel and sharp as point of spere ; 

A Cristophre on his brest of siluer sheene. 115 

An horn he bar, the bawdryk was of grene : 

A forster was he soothly, as I gesse. 

Ther was also a Nonne, a Prioresse, 
That of hir smylyng was fill symple and coy ; 
Hire gretteste ooth was but ' By seinte Loy.' 120 

And she was cleped Madame Eglentyne. 
Ful weel she soong the seruice dyuyne, 
Entuned in hir nose ful semely, 
And Frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly 
After the scole of Stratford-atte-Bowe, 125 

For Frenssh of Parys was to hire vnknowe. 
At mete wel y- taught was she with alle : 
She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle, 
Ne wette hir fyngres in hir sauce depe ; 
Wel koude she carie a morsel and wel kepe 130 

That no drope ne fille vpon hire brest ; 
In curteisie was set ful muchel hir lest. 
Hire ouer lippe wyped she so clene, 
That in hir coppe ther was no ferthyng sene 
Of grece, when she dronken hadde hir draughte. 135 
Ful semely after hir mete she raughte. 
And sikerly she was of greet desport, 

115. El Gg Christophere. 117. Co Pe foster. 120. MSS. seint 
(see § 115 (d) ). 121. H 4 e Englentyne. 123. Gg so. 131. Hn 
H 4 omit ne; a brist. 132. a Gg list; Hn omits ful, H4 d\for ful m. 
134. H^ omits ther. 



6 THE PROLOGUE [A 138-166 

And ful plesaunt and amyable of port, 

And peyned hire to countrefete cheere 

Of Court, and to been estatlich of manere, 140 

And to ben holden digne of reuerence. 

But, for to speken of hire conscience, 

She was so charitable and so pitous 

She wolde wepe, if that she sawe a mous 

Kaught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde. 145 

Of smale houndes hadde she that she fedde 

With rosted flessh, or milk and wastel breed ; 

But soore wepte she if oon of hem were deed, 

Or if men smoot it with a yerde smerte ; 

And al was conscience and tendre herte^ 150 

Ful semyly hir wyrnpul pynched was ; 

Hire nose tretys, hir eyen greye as glas, 

Hir mouth ful smal and ther-to softe and reed ; 

But sikerly she hadde a fair forheed, 

It was almoost a spanne brood I trowe, 155 

For, hardily, she was nat vndergrowe. 

Ful fetys was hir cloke, as I was war ; 

Of smal coral aboute hir arm she bar 

A peire of bedes, gauded al with grene, 

And ther-on heng a brooch of gold ful sheene, 160 

On which ther was first write a crowned A, 

And after Amor vincit omnia. 

Another Nonne with hir hadde she, 
That was hire Chapeleyne, and Preestes thre. 

A Monk ther was, a fair for the maistrie, 165 

An outridere, that louede venerie ; 

140. Hn H 4 <?;;/// to. 144. El Pe saugh, Gg seye. 147. Gg e or 
for and; H4 and /^r or. 148. El any for oon. 152. II4 streight, 
e was streight for tretis. 161. Hn H4 omit ther (of. v. 134); Gg 
omits hrst; H4 Iwriten, Co Ln writen with. 



A 167-195] THE PROLOGUE 7 

A manly man, to been an abbot able. 

Ful many a deyntee hors hadde he in stable, 

And whan he rood men myghte his brydel heere 

Gynglen in a whistlynge wynd als cleere, 170 

And eek as loude, as dooth the chapel belle, 

Ther as this lord was kepere of the celle. 

The reule of seint Maure or of seint Beneit, 

By cause that it was old and som-del streit, 

This ilke Monk leet ( — olde thynges pace), 175 

And heeld after the newe world the space. 

He yaf nat of that text a pulled hen 

That seith that hunters ben nat hooly men, 

Ne that a Monk whan he is recchelees 

Is likned til a fissh that is waterlees, 180 

This is to seyn, a Monk out of his cloystre. 

But thilke text heeld he nat worth an oystre ; 

And I seyde his opinion was good. 

What sholde he studie and make hymseluen wood 

Vpon a book in cloystre alvvey to poure, 185 

Or swynken with his handes and laboure, 

As Austyn bit? How shal the world be serued? 

Lat Austyn haue his swynk to him reserued. 

Therfore he was a prikasour aright ; 

Grehoundes he hadde, as swift as foul in flight ; 190 

Of prikyng and of huntyng for the hare 

Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare. 

I seigh his sleues purfiled at the hond 

With grys, and that the fyneste of a lond ; 

And for to festne his hood vnder his chyn 195 

170. € Gynglyng. 172. Hn is for was. 175. H4 forby hem 

for olde thinges. 177. e the text. 178. El beth; Hn H4 none 
for nat. 179. H4 cloysterless for recchelees. 180. Gg H4 to 

for til. 188. El his owene s\v. 190. H4 greyhoundes; a fowel 

(cf. 9). 191. Gg omits 2d of. 193. El Co Pe y-purfiled. 



8 THE PROLOGUE [A 196-224 

He hadde of gold y-wroght a ful curious pyn, 

A loue knotte in the gretter ende ther was. 

His heed was balled that shoon as any glas, 

And eek his face as he hadde been enoynt. 

He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt ; 200 

Hise eyen stepe and rollynge in his heed, 

That stemed as a forneys of a leed ; 

His bootes souple, his hors in greet estaat. 

Now certeinly he was a fair prelaat : 

He was nat pale, as a forpyned goost, 205 

A fat swan loued he best of any roost. 

His palfrey was as broun as is a berye. 

A Frere ther was, a wantowne and a merye, 
A lymytour, a ful solempne man, — 
In alle the ordres foure is noon that kan 210 

So muche of daliaunce and fair langage. 
He hadde maad ful many a mariage 
Of yonge wommen at his owene cost. 
Vnto his ordre he was a noble post : 
Ful wel biloued and famulier was he 215 

With frankeleyns ouer al in his contree, 
And with worthy wommen of the toun ; 
For he hadde power of confessioun, 
As seyde hym-self, moore than a curat, 
For of his ordre he was licenciat. 220 

Ful swetely herde he confessioun, 
And plesaunt was his absolucioun. 
He was an esy man to yeue penaunce 
Ther as he wiste to haue a good pitaunce ; 

196. Hn e wroght ; H4 omits ful. 198. H4 and for that. 199. El 
it for he. 207. Hn H4 as any b. 212. H4 I -made. 215. El And 
for Ful. 217. Hn H4 And eek; perhaps the has fallen out after with. 
224. H4 omits to. 



/* 225-251] THE PROLOGUE 9 

For vnto a poure ordre for to yiue 225 

Is signe that a man is wel y-shryue. 

For if he yaf, he dorste make a vaunt, 

He wiste that a man was repentaunt : 

For many a man so hard is of his herte 

He may nat wepe, al thogh hym soore smerte ; 230 

Therfore in stede of wepynge and preyeres 

Men moot yeue siluer to the poure freres. 

His typet was ay farsed full of knyues 

And pynnes, for to yeuen faire wyues. 

And certeinly he hadde a murye note, 235 

Wel koude he synge and pleyen on a rote ; 

Of yeddynges he baar outrely the pris. 

His nekke whit was as the flour de lys, 

Ther-to he strong was as a champioun. 

He knew the tauernes wel in euery toun 240 

And euerich hostiler and tappestere 

Bet than a lazar or a beggestere ; 

For vnto swich a worthy man as he 

Acorded nat, as by his facultee, 

To haue with sike lazars aqueyntaunce. 245 

It is nat honeste, it may nat avaunce 

For to deelen with no swich poraille, 

But al with riche and selleres of vitaille ; 

And ouer al, ther as profit sholde arise, 

Curteis he was and lowely of seruyse. 250 

Ther nas no man nowher so vertuous ; 

225. Co pouer {which may be right — vnto a pouer), Gg pore or- 
derys ; Hn Gg H4 Pe Ln yeue. 226. Pe H4 I-shreue. 230. H 4 omits 
al ; Hn Ln he for hym. 232. Mss. moote (H4 mooten). 234. El 
yonge/^r faire. 239. e was strong. 240. El al the for euery; 

H4 wel the t. 241. H4 or gay tap. 242. H4 e beggere. 245. Gg 
e insert swiche before sike. 247. H4 e omit no. 248. Co Ln seller. 
249. Gg omits as, H4 anyyfrras. 250. H4 \owe for lowely. 251. Hn 
Gg H4 was for nas. 



10 THE PROLOGUE [A 252-27 '6 

He was the beste beggere in his hous, 

For thogh a wydvve hadde noght a sho, 

So plesaunt was his ' In pi'incipio ' 

Yet wolde he haue a ferthyng er he wente : 255 

His purchas was wel bettre than his rente. 

And rage he koude, as it were right a whelp. 

In louedayes ther koude he muchel help, 

For there he was nat lyk a cloysterer 

With a thredbare cope, as is a poure scoler, 260 

But he was lyk a maister, or a pope. 

Of double worstede was his semycope, 

That rounded, as a belle, out of the presse. 

Somwhat he lipsed for his wantownesse, 

To make his Englissh sweete vpon his tonge, 265 

And in his harpyng, whan that he hadde songe, 

Hise eyen twynkled in his heed aryght, 

As doon the sterres in the frosty nyght. 

This worthy lymytour was cleped Huberd. 

A Marchant was ther with a forked berd, 270 

In mottelee, and hye on horse he sat ; 
Vpon his heed a Flaundryssh beuere hat, 
His bootes clasped faire and fetisly. 
Hise resons he spak ful solempnely, 
Sownynge alway thencrees of his wynnyng. 275 

He wolde the see were kept for any thing 

252. Hn of for in ; H4 in al. After 252 Hn inserts : 

" And yaf a certeyn ferme for the graunt 
Noon of his bretheren cam ther in his haunt." 

253. H4 but 00 for noght a. 257. Co Pe right as it were, H4 and 

pleyen as for as it w. r. 259. a Pe Ln cloystrer. 260. H 4 e omit 
is, Gg omits poure. 263. Co on the pt\, Ln omits of, H4 omits the. 

264. H4 lipsedeyfrr w. 270. Pe longe for forked. 271. a Gg 

Motlee, H4 Ln motteleye; H4 omits and. 272. Gg bemysch for 

beuere. 273. Gg full f. for faire and f. 275. e Schewyng, H4 
swovvnynge for sownynge. 



^277-303] THE PROLOGUE II 

Bitwixe Middelburgh and Orewelle. 

Wei koude he in eschaunge sheeldes selle. 

This worthy man ful wel his wit bisette ; 

Ther wiste no wight that he was in dette, 280 

So estatly was he of his gouernaunce 

With his bargaynes and with his cheuyssaunce. 

For sothe he was a worthy man with alle 

But, sooth to seyn, I noot how men hym calle. 

A Clerk ther was of Oxenford also 285 

That vnto logyk hadde longe y-go. 
As leene was his hors as is a rake, 
And he nas nat right fat, I vndertake, 
But looked holwe, and ther-to sobrely ; 
Ful thredbare was his ouereste courtepy ; 290 

For he hadde geten hym yet no benefice, 
Ne was so worldly for to have office ; 
For hym was leuere haue at his beddes heed 
Twenty bookes clad in blak or reed 
Of Aristotle and his philosophic, 295 

Than robes riche, or fithele, or gay sautrie. 
But al be that he was a philosophre, 
Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre ; 
But al that he myghte of his freendes hente 
On bookes and on lernynge he it spente, 300 

And bisily gan for the soules preye 
Of hem that yaf hym wher-with to scoleye : 
Of studie took he moost cure and moost heede. 

280. Gg H4 man for wight. 281. H4 omits his. 284. e sobly. 

288. Hn H 4 Pe Ln was. 291. e omits yet; H4 hadde nou3t. 

292. H4 Ne was not wor>y to hauen an office. 296. H4 omits gay. 

297. H4 al hough he were. 298. Gg )?at for yet and omits he; Co 

inserts a after but. 299. H 4 might gete and his fr. sende. 

300. El H4 his/<?r 2d on; H 4 spende. 301, Pe Ln \>o s. 303. Gg 
kep for cure; H4 omits 2d moost, 



12 THE PROLOGUE . 0*304-330 

Noght o word spak he moore than was neede, 

And that was seyd in forme and reuerence, 305 

And short and quyk and ful of hy sentence ; 

Sownynge in moral vertu was his speche, 

And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly teche. 

A Sergeant of the Lawe war and wys, 
That often hadde been at the Parvys, 310 

Ther was also, ful riche of excellence. 
Discreet he was and of greet reuerence — 
He semed swich, hise wordes weren so wise. 
Iustice he was ful often in Assise 

By patente and by pleyn commissioun. - 315 

For his science and for his heigh renoun, 
Of fees and robes hadde he many oon : 
So greet a purchasour was nowher noon ; 
Al was fee symple to hym in effect, 
His purchasyng myghte nat been infect. 320 

Nowher so bisy a man as he ther nas, 
And yet he semed bisier than he was. 
In termes hadde he caas and doomes alle 
That from the tyme of kyng William were falle ; 
Ther-to he koude endite and make a thyng, 325 

Ther koude no wight pynche at his writyng ; 
And euery statut koude he pleyn by rote. 
He rood but hoomly in a medlee cote, 
Girt with a ceint of silk with barres smale ; 
Of his array telle I no lenger tale., 330 



305. H4 Al ]?at he spak it was of heye prudence; Hn spoke for 
seyd. 306. H4 gret for hy. 307. H4 manere for vertu. 309. Hn 
H4 omit the. 311. e hat for ther. 318. Co neuer for nowher. 

324. Hn omits the; H4 that kyng for of k. W.; El yfalle. 326. a 
pynchen. 



^33i-35 8 ] THE PROLOGUE 1 3 

A Frankeleyn was in his compaignye. 
Whit was his berd as is the dayesye, 
Of his complexioun he was sangwyn. 
Wei loued he by the morvve a sop in wyn ; 
To lyuen in delit was euere his wone, 335 

For he was Epicurus owene sone, 
That heeld opinioun that pleyn delit 
Was verraily felicitee parfit. 
An housholder, and that a greet, was he : 
Seint lulian he was in his contree ; 340 

His breed, his ale, was alweys after oon ; 
A better enuyned man was nowher noon. 
Withoute bake-mete was neuer his hous 
Of fissh and flessh, and that so plenteuous 
It snevved in his hous of mete and drynke. 345 

Of alle deyntees that men koude thynke 
After the sondry sesons of the yeer, 
So chaunged he his mete and his soper. 
Ful many a fat partrich hadde he in mewe 
And many a breem and many a luce in stewe. 350 

Wo was his cook but if his sauce were 
Poynaunt and sharpe and redy al his geere. 
His table dormant in his halle alway, 
Stood redy couered al the longe day. 
At sessiouns ther was he l Lord and Sire ' ; 355 

Ful ofte tyme he was knyght of the shire. 
An anlaas, and a gipser al of silk, 
Heeng at his girdel, whit as morne milk. 

332. El heed/^r berd and a for the. 334. H 4 in for by; H4 sop 
°f w - 335- e euere was; H 4 was al. 338. Mss. except H 4 verray; 
H4 verraily. 339. H 4 e houshalder. 340. El was he. 341. Gg Ln 
alwey. 342. a Co Ln neuere for nowher (cf. 318). 344. Co Pe 
Il 4 fleissh. 349, 350. a muwe, stuwe. 351. e omits if. 357. e 

anelas. 



14 THE PROLOGUE 0*359-385 

A shirreue hadde he been, and a countour. 

Was nowher such a worthy vauasour. 360 

An Haberdassher, and a Carpenter, 
A Webbe, a Dyere, and a Tapycer, — 
And they were clothed alle in o lyueree 
Of a solempne and a greet fraternitee. 
Ful fressh and newe hir geere apiked was ; 365 

Hir knyues were chaped noght with bras, 
But al with siluer ; wroght ful clene and weel 
Hir girdles and hir pouches euerydeel. 
Wei semed ech of hem a fair burgeys 
To sitten in a yeldehalle on a deys. , 370 

Euerich for the wisdom that he kan 
Was shaply for to been an alderman. 
For catel hadde they ynogh and rente, 
And eek hir wyues wolde it wel assente, 
And elles certeyn were they to blame ; 375 

It is ful fair to been y-cleped ' Madame/ 
And goon to vigilies al bifore, 
And haue a mantel roialliche y-bore. 

A Cook they hadde with hem for the nones 
To boille the chicknes with the marybones, 38a 

And poudre-marchant tart, and galyngale ; 
Wel koude he knowe a draughte of Londoun ale ; 
He koude rooste and sethe and broille and frye, 
Maken mortreux and wel bake a pye. 
But greet harm was it, as it thoughte me, 385 

359. a Gg omit 2 d a. 363. H4 weren with vss eeke clothed, etc. 
364. All but H4 a gret. 371. H4 euery man for euerich. 376. All 
but a cleped. 380. H4 omits 1st the. 383. El Gg H4 boille^ 

H 4 omits 1st two and' j. 384. Gg mortereus. 385. Gg H4 semede 
for thoughte. 



.4386-412] THE PROLOGUE 1 5 

That on his shyne a mormal hadde he ; 

For blankmanger, that made he with the beste. 

A Shipman was ther, wonynge fer by weste, 
For aught I vvoot he was of Dertemouthe. 
He rood vpon a rouncy as he kouthe, 390 

In a gowne of faldyng to the knee ; 
A dagger hangynge on a laas hadde he 
Aboute his nekke vnder his arm adoun. 
The hoote somer hadde maad his hewe al broun ; 
And certeinly he was a good felawe. 395 

Ful many a draught e of wyn hadde he y-drawe 
Fro Burdeuxward whil that the chapman sleep. 
Of nyce conscience took he no keep : 
If that he faught and hadde the hyer hond, 
By water he sente hem hoom to euery lond. 400 

But of his craft to rekene wel his tydes, 
His stremes and his daungers hym bisides, 
His herberwe and his moone, his lodemenage, 
Ther nas noon swich from Hulle to Cartage. 
Hardy he was, and wys to vndertake ; 405 

With many a tempest hadde his berd been shake ; 
He knew alle the hauenes, as they were, 
From Gootlond to the Cape of Fynystere, 
And euery cryke in Britaigne and in Spayne. 
His barge y-cleped was the Maudelayne. 410 

With vs ther was a Doctour of Phisik, 
In all this world ne was ther noon hym lik, 



387. Gg at the beste; H 4 he ma.de/or that made he. 396. Co he 
hadde; H4 a e drawe. 397. e omits that. 400. Gg Ln by /or to. 

402. e daunger. 404. Hn H4 e (^r. Pe) was/^r nas. 407. H4 

knew wel. 408. H4 Scotlandyfrr Gootl.; e Cape de fynystere. 



1 6 THE PROLOGUE [ A 413-442 

To speke of phisik and of surgerye. 

For he was grounded in astronomye, 

He kepte his pacient a ful greet deel 415 

In houres by his magyk natureel ; 

Wei koude he fortunen the ascendent 

Of his ymages for his pacient. 

He knew the cause of euery maladye, 

Were it of hoot, or cold, or moyste, or drye, 420 

And where they engendred and of what humour. 

He was a verray parfit praktisour \ 

The cause y-knowe and of his harm the roote, 

Anon he yaf the sike man his boote. 

Ful redy hadde he his apothecaries 425 

To sende him drogges and his letuaries, 

For ech of hem made oother for to wynne — 

Hir frendshipe nas nat newe to bigynne. 

Wei knew he the olde Esculapius 

And Deyscorides, and eek Rufus, 430 

Olde Ypocras, Haly and Galyen, 

Serapion, Razis and Auycen, 

Auerrois, Damascien and Constantyn, 

Bernard and Gatesden and Gilbertyn. 

Of his diete mesurable was he, 435 

For it was of no superfluitee, 

But of greet norissyng and digestible. 

His studie was but litel on the Bible. 

In sangwyn and in pers he clad was al 

Lyned with taffata and with sendal ; 440 

And yet he was but esy of dispence. 

He kepte that he wan in pestilence ; 

419. El eueriche. 420. Gg omits 1st of, Co of h. of c, Ln of c- 

of h., H4 of c. or hete. 421. Ifn it for they, e omits they, Gg 

engendere. 426. Hn Gg his dr.; II4 dragges. 



.4 443-470 THE PROLOGUE lj 

For gold in phisik is a cordial, 
Therfore he louede gold in special. 

A Good wif was ther of biside Bathe, 445 

But she was som del deef, and that was scathe. 
Of clooth makyng she hadde swich an haunt 
She passed hem of Ypres and of Gaunt. 
In al the parisshe wif ne was ther noon 
That to the offrynge bifore hire sholde goon : 450 

And if ther dide, certeyn so wrooth was she, 
That she was out of alle charitee. 
Hir couerchiefs ful fyne were of ground, 
I dorste swere they weyeden ten pound, 
That on a Sonday weren vpon hir heed. 455 

Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed, 
Ful streite y-teyd, and shoes ful moyste and newe ; 
Boold was hir face, and fair, and reed of hewe. 
She was a worthy wo mm an al hir lyue ; 
Housbondes at chirche dore she hadde fyue - 460 

Withouten oother compaignye in youthe 
(But ther of nedeth nat to speke as nowthe). 
And thries hadde she been at Ierusalem ; 
She hadde passed many a straunge strem : 
At Rome she hadde been and at Boloigne, 465 

In Galice at Seint lame and at Coloigne. 
She koude muchel of wandrynge by the weye. 
Gat-tothed was she, soothly for to seye. 
Vpon an ambler e esily she sat, 

Y-wympled wel, and on hir heed an hat 470 

As brood as is a bokeler or a targe ; 

450. Gg e tofore. 45 1 e omits so. 452. H4 Jeanne out. 

453. El H 4 weren. 460. H 4 e atte (Ln att J>e). 467. Gg H4 € 
meche. 469. Gg H 4 ful esily; H4 omits she. 



1 8 THE PROLOGUE [,4 472-498 

A foot mantel aboute hir hipes large, 

And on hire feet a paire of spores sharpe. 

In felaweship wel koude she laughe and carpe 

Of remedies of loue she knew per chaunce, 475 

For she koude of that art the olde daunce. 



A good man was ther of religioun, 
And was a Poure Persoun of a Toun, 
But riche he was of hooly thoght and werk ; 
He was also a lerned man, a clerk, 480 

That Cristes Gospel trewely wolde preche : 
Hise parisshens deuoutly wolde he teche. 
Benygne he was, and wonder diligent, 
And in aduersitee ful pacient, 

And swich he was y-preued ofte sithes. 485 

Ful looth were hym to cursen for hise tithes, 
But rather wolde he yeuen, out of doute, 
Vnto his poure parisshens aboute 
Of his offryng and eek of his substaunce ; 
He koude in litel thyng haue suffisaunce. 490 

Wyd was his parisshe, and houses fer asonder, 
But he ne lafte nat for reyn ne thonder, 
In siknesse nor in meschief to visite 
The ferreste in his parisshe, muche and lite, 
Vpon his feet and in his hond a staf. 495 

This noble ensample to his sheep he yaf, 
That firste he wroghte and afterward he taughte : 
Out of the gospel he tho wordes caughte, 



476. e colde (Pe o?nits) for olde. 480. e and a cl. 481. H4 

gladly for trewely. 485. MSS exc. H 4 preued. 489. Gg e omit 

eek. 495. El hand. 497. El Pe afterward that, H4 after |?at. 



A499S 2 Sl THE PROLOGUE 19 

And this figure he added eek therto 

That " If gold ruste what shal iren doo? " 500 

For if a preest be foul, on whom we truste, 

No wonder is a lewed man to ruste ; 

And shame it is, if a prest take keep, 

A shiten shepherde and a clene sheep. 

Wei oghte a preest ensample for to yiue 505 

By his clennesse how that his sheep sholde lyue. 

He sette nat his benefice to hyre 

And leet his sheep encombred in the myre, 

And ran to Londoun, vnto Seinte Poules, 

To seken hym a chauntrie for soules, 510 

Or with a bretherhed to been withholde, 

But dvvelte at hoom and kepte wel his folde 

So that the wolf ne made it nat myscarie ; 

He was a shepherde, and noght a mercenarie. 

And though he hooly were and vertuous, 515 

He was to synful man nat despitous, 

Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne, 

But in his techyng discreet and benygne ; 

To drawen folk to heuene by fairnesse, 

By good ensample, this was his bisynesse : 520 

But it were any persone obstinat 

What so he were, of heigh or lough estat, 

Hym wolde he snybben sharply for the nonys. 

A bettre preest I trowe that nowher noon ys ; 

He waited after no pompe and reuerence, 525 

499- Gg Ln omit eek, H4 3k. 500. Hn H 4 Ln sholde for shal. 

505. El Gg Pe yeue. 506. Gg Ln omit that. 508. Gg e acombred. 
509. Co H4 seynte {perhaps by accidenf), others seint. 510. H4 e 
chaunterie. 512. El dwelleth, kepeth. 514. H4 no mercenarie. 
519. Hn with f., Gg H4 clennesse for fairnesse. 520. H4 omits this. 

521. Gg But if jit; Pe H4 eny, Gg Co ony. 523. H4 € nones. 
524. e non es; Hn H4 ther for that, Gg trowe neuere non is. 525. Gg 
H4 ne reu. 



20 THE PROLOGUE [^526-551 

Ne maked him a spiced conscience, 

But Cristes loore and hise Apostles twelue 

He taughte ; but first he folwed it hym selue. 

With hym ther was a Plowman, was his brother, 
That hadde y-lad of dong ful many a fother ; 530 

A trewe swynkere and a good was he, 
Lyuynge in pees and parfit charitee. 
God loued he best with al his hoole herte, 
At alle tymes thogh him gamed or smerte, 
And thanne his neighebour right as hymselue. 535 

He wolde thresshe, and therto dyke and delue, 
For Cristes sake, for every poure wight, , 
Withouten hire, if it laye in his myght. 
Hise tithes payede he ful faire and wel, 
Bothe of his propre swynk and his catel. 540 

In a tabard he rood vpon a mere. 

Ther was also a Reue and a Millere, 
A Somnour and a Pardoner also, 
A Maunciple and myself, — ther were namo. 
The Millere was a stout carl for the nones, 545 

Ful byg he was of brawn and eek of bones ; 
That proued wel, for ouer al ther he cam, 
At wrastlynge he wolde haue alwey the ram. 
He was short-sholdred, brood, a thikke knarre, 
Ther was no dore that he noolde heue of harre, 55c 
Or breke it at a rennyng with his heed. 

528. H4 and for but; e in for it. 529. Gg that was, H4 omits 
was - 533- C° L R omit hoole; H4 trewe for hoole and omits with. 
534. El Pe Ln he for him. 537. Hn H 4 with for for. 538. El 

Co Pe lay. 539. a Ln paide. ■ 544. e nare, H4 was for were. 

548. H 4 e awey; H4 here for haue. 549. e omits brood. 550. El 
Gg nas; El Pe Ln ne wolde, Gg wolde. 551. H4 Ln with for at. 



^ 55 2 -579] THE PROLOGUE 21 

His berd as any sowe or fox was reed 

And therto brood, as though it were a spade. 

Vpon the cop right of his nose he hade 

A werte, and theron stood a tuft of herys, 555 

Reed as the brustles of a sowes erys ; 

His nosethirles blake were and wyde ; 

A swerd and a bokeler bar he by his syde ; 

His mouth as greet was as a greet forneys ; 

He was a Iangler and a goliardeys, 560 

And that was moost of synne and harlotries. 

Wei koude he stelen corn and tollen thries — 

And yet he hadde a thombe of gold, pardee ! 

A whit cote and a blew hood wered he. 

A baggepipe wel koude he blowe and sowne, 565 

And therwithal he broghte vs out of towne. 

A gentil Maunciple was ther of a temple, 
Of v/hich achatours myghte take exemple 
For to be wise in byynge of vitaille ; 
For, whether that he payde or took by taille, 570 

Algate he wayted so in his achaat 
That he was ay biforn and in good staat. 
Now is nat that of God a ful fair grace 
That swich a lewed mannes wit shal pace 
The wisdom of an heep of lerned men ! 575 

Of maistres hadde he mo than thries ten, 
That were of lawe expert and curious, 
Of whiche ther were a doseyn in that hous 
Worthy to been stywardes of rente and lond 



555. El Ln toft. 558. Co omits 2d a {the repetition of the a 

may be a mistake of the original scribe). 559. H4 wyde for greet. 

565. Gg e couthe. 570. a wheither, Gg where. 577. a weren. 
578. El weren, e was; El duszeyne. 



22 THE PROLOGUE [^580-607 

Of any lord that is in Engelond, 580 

To make hym lyue by his propre good 

In honour dettelees (but he were wood) 

Or lyue as scarsly as hym list desire ; 

And able for to helpen al a shire 

In any caas that myghte falle or happe — 585 

And yet this Manciple sette hir aller cappe. 

The Reue was a sclendre colerik man. 
His berd was shaue as nygh as euer he kan ; 
His heer was by his erys ful round y-shorn, 
His top was dokked lyk a preest biforn ; 590 

Ful longe were his legges and ful lene 
Ylyk a staf, ther was no calf ysene. 
Wei koude he kepe a gerner and a bynne, 
Ther was noon auditour koude on him wynne. 
Wei wiste he by the droghte and by the reyn 595 

The yeldynge of his seed and of his greyn. 
His lordes sheep, his neet, his dayerye, 
His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultrye 
Was hoolly in this reues gouernyng, 
And by his couenant yaf the rekenyng 600 

Syn that his lord was twenty yeer of age. 
Ther koude no man brynge hym in arrerage, 
There nas baillif, ne hierde, noroother hyne, 
That he ne knew his sleighte and his couyne ; 
They were adrad of hym as of the deeth. 605 

His wonyng was ful faire vpon an heeth, 
With grene trees shad wed was his place. 



581. Elmaken. 588. El ny; Iln II 4 neigh. 589. H 4 Ln 

omit ful. 590. El doked. 593. Gg e couthe; e ox for and. 

594. El otfor on. ' 602. H4 e couthe. 603. Hn Gg omit 1st ne; 
Gg Pe H4 i\q for nor. 604. H4 they for he. 607. Gg H4 I-schadewid. 



/? 608-634] THE PROLOGUE 23 

He koude bettre than his lord purchace. 

Ful riche he was a-stored pryuely : 

His lord wel koude he plesen subtilly 610 

To yeue and lene hym of his owene good 

And haue a thank and yet a coote and hood. 

In youthe he hadde lerned a good myster, 

He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenter. 

This reue sat vpon a ful good stot, 615 

That was a pomely grey and highte Scot ; 

A long surcote of pers vpon he hade, 

And by his syde he baar a rusty blade. 

Of Northfolk was this Reue of which I telle, 

Biside a toun men clepen Baldeswelle. 620 

Tukked he was as is a frere aboute, 

And euere he rood the hyndreste of oure route. 

A Somonour was ther with vs in that place, 
That had a fyr reed cherubynnes face, 
For sawcerleem he was, with eyen narwe ; 625 

As hoot he was and lecherous as a sparwe, 
With scaled browes blake and piled berd : 
Of his visage children were aferd. 
Ther nas quyk-siluer, lytarge, ne brymstoon, 
Boras, ceruce, ne oille of Tartre noon, 630 

Ne oynement that wolde dense and byte, 
That hym myghte helpen of his whelkes white, 
Nor of the knobbes sittynge on his chekes. 
Wel loued he garleek, oynons, and eek lekes, 

612. El H4 omit jst and; El gowne for coote; H4 a cote and eek 
%.nfor yet a c. and. 613. Hn H4 lerned hadde. 616. El Co Pe 

al for a. 617. H4 blew for pers; Gg H4 e hadde; Hn haade. 

618. H4 bladde. 620. e insert it before Bald. 623. H4 sompnour. 
624. € fyri for fyr reed. 627. H4 e scalled. 630. e orsure for 

ceruce. 632. Elthey^rhis. 633. € in for on. 



24 THE PROLOGUE [A 635-663 

And for to drynken strong wyn reed as blood : 635 

Thanne wolde he speke and crie as he were wood. 

And whan that he wel dronken hadde the wyn, 

Than wolde he speke no word but Latyn. 

A fewe termes hadde he, two or thre, 

That he had lerned out of som decree, — 640 

No wonder is, he herde it al the day, 

And eek ye knowen well how that a lay 

Kan clepen " Watte " as wel as kan the pope. 

But whoso koude in oother thyng hym grope, 

Thanne hadde he spent al his philosophic ; 645 

Ay "Question quid juris?" wolde he crie. 

He was a gentil harlot and a kynde ; 

A bettre felawe sholde men noght fynde. 

He wolde suffre for a quart of wyn 

A good felawe to haue his concubyn 650 

A twelf monthe, and excuse hym atte fulle. 

Ful priuely a fynch eek couthe he pulle ; 

And if he foond owher a good felawe, 

He wolde techen him to haue noon awe 

In swich caas of the Ercedekenes curs, 655 

But if a mannes soule were in his purs ; 

For in his purs he sholde punysshed be : 

1 Purs is the Ercedekenes helle,' seyde he. 

But wel I woot he lyed right in dede : 

Of cursyng oghte ech gilty man him drede, 660 

For curs wol slee right as assoillyng sauith, 

And also war him of a Significavit. 

In daunger hadde he at his owene gise 



637, 638. Hn omits. 642. e knowen it. 648. H 4 nowhery^r 

noght. 650. H4 omits to. 652. El H4 Ln And for Ful; e eek a f. ; 
a koude. 655. H4 such a. 657. a ypunysshed. 659. Gg 

H4 lyeth. 660. a Gg Pe omit him; H4 to drede. 



A 664-690] THE PROLOGUE 2$ 

The yonge girles of the diocise, 

And knew hir conseil, and was al hir reed. 665 

A gerland hadde he set vpon his heed 

As greet as it were for an ale-stake ; 

A bokeleer hadde he maad him of a cake. 

With hym ther rood a gentil Pardoner 
Of Rounciuale, his freend and his compeer, 670 

That streight was comen fro the court of Rome. 
Ful loude he soong "Com hider, lone, to me/" 
This Somonour bar to hym a stif burdoun, 
Was never trompe of half so greet a soun. 
This Pardoner hadde heer as yelow as wex, 675 

But smothe it heeng as dooth a strike of flex ; 
By ounces henge hise lokkes that he hadde, 
And therwith he his shuldres ouerspradde ; 
But thynne it lay by colpons 0011 and oon ; 
But hood for Iolitee wered he noon, 680 

For it was trussed vp in his walet. 
Hym thoughte he rood al of the newe let ; 
Discheuelee, saue his cappe, he rood al bare. 
Swiche glarynge eyen hadde he as an hare, 
A vernycle hadde he sowed vpon his cappe ; 685 

His walet lay biforn hym in his lappe 
Bretful of pardoun, comen from Rome al hoot. 
A voys he hadde as smal as hath a goot. 
No berd hadde he, ne neuer sholde haue, 
As smothe it was as it were late shaue ; 690 

665. € what was. 669. Gg I o\y for gentil. 672. Gg loue 

come hedir come, Pe come /or to me, Co H4 tome. 680. H4 ne 

wered. 686. All but H4 omit lay (apparently a correction in H4. 

The omitted word was probably was; cp. H4 variant to v. 711.) 

688. Gg Co Pe omit hath, Pe it were for hath, H4 eny for hath a. 

689. H4 Co Pe ne hadde. 690. Hn H4 yshaue. 



26 THE PROLOGUE [^691-720 

I trowe he were a geldyng or a mare. 

But of his craft, fro Berwyk into Ware 

Ne was ther swich another pardoner ; 

For in his male he hadde a pilvvebeer 

Which that he seyde was oure lady veyl ; 695 

He seyde he hadde a gobet of the seyl 

That Seinte Peter hadde whan that he wente 

Vpon the see til Ihesu Crist hym hente. 

He hadde a croys of latoun ful of stones, 

And in a glas he hadde pigges bones. 700 

But with thise relikes, whan that he fond 

A poure person dwellynge vpon lond, 

Vpon a day he gat hym moore m on eye 

Than that the person gat in monthes tweye ; 

And thus with feyned flaterye and Iapes 705 

He made the person and the peple his apes. 

But trewely to tellen atte laste, 

He was in chirche a noble ecclesiaste ; 

Wei koude he rede a lessoun or a storie, 

But alderbest he song an offertorie ; 710 

For wel he wiste, whan that song was songe 

He moste preche and wel affile his tonge 

To wynne siluer, as he ful wel koude ; 

Therefore he song the murierly and loude. 

>^ 

Now have I toold you soothly in a clause 715 

Thestaat, tharray, the nombre, and eek the cause 

Why that assembled was this compaignye 

In Southwerk at this gentil hostelrye 

That highte the Tabard, faste by the Belle. 

But now is tyme to yow for to telle 720 

697. Mss. seynt. 705. e flatering. 711. H 4 omits wiste. 

713. Gg e omit ful; H4 right w. 714. e so meriely, H4 ful meriely. 

715. El H 4 shortly for soothly. 718. El as for at. 



,4 721-749] THE PROLOGUE 27 

How that we baren vs that ilke nyght, 
Whan we were in that hostelrie alyght ; 
And after wol I telle of our viage 
And al the remenaunt of oure pilgrimage. 

But first, I pray yow of youre curteisye, 725 

That ye narette it nat my vileynye, 
Thogh that I pleynly speke in this mateere 
To telle yow hir wordes and hir cheere, 
Ne thogh I speke hir wordes proprely ; 
For this ye knowen al so well as I, 730 

Who so shal telle a tale after a man 
He moote reherce as neigh as euere he kan 
Euerich a word, if it be in his charge, 
Al speke he neuer so rudeliche and large ; 
Or ellis he moot telle his tale vntrewe, 735 

Or feyne thyng, or fynde wordes newe. 
He may nat spare, althogh he were his brother; 
He moot as wel seye o word as another. 
Crist spak hymself ful brode in hooly writ, 
And wel ye woot no vileynye is it ; 740 

Eek Plato seith, whoso that kan hym rede, 
' The wordes moote be cosyn to the dede.' 

Also I prey yow to foryeue it me 
Al haue I nat set folk in hir degree 
Heere in this tale as that they sholde stonde ; 745 

My wit is short, ye may wel vnderstonde. 

Greet chiere made oure hoost vs euerichon, 
And to the soper sette he vs anon ; 
He serued vs with vitaille at the beste : 



721. Ggeberen. 726. H4 e ne rette. 732. El ny. 734. El 
or, H4 nefor and. 736. e thinges. 743. e omits to. 746. H4 

thynney^r short. 749. El H4 And serued; e vitailles. 



28 THE PROLOGUE [^750-778 

Strong was the wyn and wel to drynke vs leste. 750 

A semely man Oure Hooste was with-alle 
For to been a marchal in an halle. 
A large man he was with eyen stepe, 
A fairer burgeys is ther noon in Chepe, 
Boold of his speche and wys and well y-taught, 755 

And of manhod hym lakkede right naught. 
Eek therto he was right a myrie man, 
And after soper pleyen he bigan, 
And spak of myrthe amonges othere thynges, 
Whan that we hadde maad our rekenynges ; 760 

And seyde thus : ' Now, lordynges, trevvely 
Ye been to me right welcome, hertely ; 
For by my trouthe, if that I shal nat lye, 
I saugh nat this yeer so myrie a compaignye 
At ones in this herberwe as is now ; 765 

Fayn wolde I doon yow myrthe, wiste I how. 
And of a myrthe I am right now bythoght 
To doon yow ese, and it shal coste noght. 

' Ye goon to Canterbury — God yow speede, 
The blisful martir quite yow youre meede ! 770 

And, wel I woot, as ye goon by the weye, 
Ye shapen yow to talen and to pleye ; 
For trewely confort ne myrthe is noon 
To ride by the weye doumb as a stoon ; 
And therfore wol I maken yow disport, 775 

As I seyde erst, and doon yow som confort. 
And if yow liketh alle by oon assent 
For to stonden at my Iuggement 

750. e omits to. 752. H4 to han ben. 754. a was for is. 

756. Hn e manhode, II4 manhede; a Pe Ln lakked, H4 lakkede he. 
757-964. missing from (lg; Ms. Sloane 168 j [67] supplies its place in 
Six-Text. 764. H4 ne saugh for saugh nat. 772. II4 talken for 

talen. 774. El the, Ln any for a, I In omits. 778. H4 Now for to. 



-4 779-8c>7] THE PROLOGUE 29 

And for to vverken as I shal yow seye, 

To-morwe whan ye riden by the vveye, 780 

Now by my fader soule that is deed 

But ye be myrie, I wol yeue yow myn heed ! 

Hoold vp youre hondes wi thou ten moore speche.' 

Oure conseil was nat longe for to seche ; 
Vs thoughte it was noght worth to make it wys, 785 

And graunted hym withouten moore auys, 
And bad him seye his voirdit as hym leste. 

' Lordynges/ quod he, ' now herkneth for the beste, 
But taak it nought, I pray yow, in desdeyn. 
This is the poynt, to speken short and pleyn, 790 

That ech of yow to shorte with oure weye 
In this viage shal telle tales tweye, 
To Caunterburyward, I mene it so, 
And homward he shal tellen othere two, 
Of auentures that whilom han bifalle. 795 

And which of yow that bereth hym beste of alle, 
That is to seyn, that telleth in this caas 
Tales of best sentence and moost solaas, 
Shal haue a soper at oure aller cost 
Heere in this place sittynge by this post 800 

Whan that we come agayn fro Caunterbury. 
And for to make yow the moore mury 
I wol myseluen goodly with yow ryde 
Right at myn owene cost, and be youre gyde; 
And who so wole my Iuggement withseye 805 

Shal paye al that we spenden by the weye. 
And if ye vouche-sauf that it be so 



781. SI Now so god saue me at my most nede. 782. H4 smytefc 

of for I — yow. 783. El H 4 Co hond. 785. SI Pe to wys. 

791. Co H4 your w. 801, 802. H4 Caunterbery, mery. 803. a 

my self; H4 gladly for goodly. 



30 THE PROLOGUE [^808-836 

Tel me anon withouten wordes mo, 
And I wol erly shape me therfore.' 

This thyng was graunted, and oure othes swore 810 
With ful glad herte, and preyden hym also 
That he would vouche-sauf for to do so, 
And that he wolde been oure gouernour 
And of our tales luge and reportour, 
And sette a soper at a certeyn pris, 815 

And we wol reuled been at his deuys 
In heigh and lough. And thus by oon assent 
We been acorded to his Iuggement. 
And thervpon the wyn was fet anon ; 
We dronken, and to reste wente echon, - 820 

Withouten any lenger taryynge. 

Amorwe, whan that day began to sprynge, 
Vp roos oure Hoost and was oure aller cok, 
And gadrede vs togidre alle in a flok. 
And forth we riden a litel moore than paas, 825 

Vnto the wateryng of Seint Thomas ; 
And there oure Hooste gan his hors areste 
And seyde, ' Lordynges herkneth if yow leste ; 
Ye woot youre foreward, and it yow recorde : 
If ' euen-song and morwe-song accorde/ 830 

Lat se now who shal telle the firste tale. 
As euere mote I drynke wyn or ale, 
Whoso be rebel to my Iuggement 
Shal paye for al that by the wey is spent ! 
Now draweth cut, er that we ferrer twynne. 835 

He which that hath the shorteste shal bigynne. 

811. SI e (Ln praieyng) preien. 816. H4 Pe wolde. 818. SI 

e thtfor his. 822. SI e the /or that; El gan for to, SI Pe Ln gan to. 
824. Hn togydres; Hn SI Pe Ln omit alle. 827. all but Pe 

hoost; a H4 began. 829. H4 e insert I before it making an Alexan- 
drine. 831. H4 ferst a tale. 836. H 4 SI Pe Ln omit He. 



^ 837-858] THE PROLOGUE 31 

Sire Knygbt/ quod he, * my mayster and my lord, 

Now draweth cut for that is myn accord. 

Cometh neer,' quod he, ' my lady Prioresse, 

And ye sire Clerk lat be your shamefastnesse 840 

Ne studieth noght ; ley hond to, euery man.' 

Anon to drawen euery wight bigan, 
And shortly for to tellen as it was, 
Were it by auenture or sort or cas, 
The sothe is this, the cut fil to the knyght, 845 

Of which ful blithe and glad was euery wyght, 
And telle he moste his tale as was resoun 
By foreward and by composicioun 
As ye han herd ; what nedeth wordes mo ? 
And whan this goode-man saugh that it was so, 850 

As he that wys was and obedient 
To kepe his foreward by his free assent, 
He seyde, ' Syn I shal bigynne the game, 
What welcome be the cut a Goddes name ! 
Now lat us ryde, and herkneth what I seye.' 855 

And with that word we ryden forth oure weye ; 
And he bigan with right a myrie cheere 
His tale anon, and seyde as ye may here. 



839. SI Pe Ln nere, Co nerre, H4 ner. 846. H4 Pe glad and 

blij>e. 847. e as it was r. 850. Hn omits so. 854. Hn in, Ln 
one for a. 858. El in this manere, H4 right in Hs manereyfrr as ye. 



KNIGHTES TALE 

HEERE BIGYNNETH THE KNYGHTES TALE 

Whilom, as olde stories tellen vs, 
Ther was a due that highte Theseus ; 860 

Of Atthenes he was lord and gouernour, 
And in his tyme swich a conquerour 
That gretter was ther noon vnder the sonne ; 
Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne. 
What with his wysdom and his chiualrie 865 

He conquered al the regne of Femenye^ 
That whilom was y-cleped Scithia ; 
And weddede the queene Ypolita, 
And broghte hir hoom with hym in his contree 
With muchel glorie and greet solempnytee, 870 

And eek hir yonge suster Emelye. 
And thus with victorie and with melodye 
Lete I this noble due to Atthenes ryde, 
And al his hoost in armes hym bisyde. 

And certes, if it nere to long to heere, 875 

I wolde haue told fully the manere 
How wonnen was the regne of Femenye 
By Theseus and by his chiualrye ; 
And of the grete bataille for the nones 

859. e whilom was. 860. Pe A worjn for Ther was a. 863. 

6 omits ther. 865. El H 4 That for What. 868. a Pe Ln wedded. 
869. Pe Ln to for in. 870. All but a muche. 871. El faire. 

876. El wolde vow haue, etc. (cp. 1> 4489 where El inserts yow), H4 
told vow fully, etc. 

32 



^880-910] KNIGHTES TALE 33 

Bitwixen Atthenes and Amazones ; 880 

And how asseged was Ypolita, 

The faire, hardy queene of Scithia, 

And of the feste that was at hir weddynge, 

And of the tempest at hir hoom-comynge. 

But al that thyng I moot as now forbere ; 885 

I haue, God woot, a large feeld to ere, 

And wayke been the oxen in my plough ; 

The remenant of the tale is long ynough, 

I wol nat letten eek noon of this route. 

Lat every felawe telle his tale aboute, 890 

And lat se now who shal the soper wynne ; 

And ther I lefte I wol ayeyn bigynne. 

This due of whom I make mencioun 
Whan he was comen almost to the toun, 
In al his wele and in his mooste pride, 895 

He was war, as he caste his eye aside, 
Where that ther kneled in the heighe weye 
A compaignye of ladyes, tweye and tweye 
Ech after oother, clad in clothes blake ; 
But swich a cry and swich a wo they make 900 

That in this world nys creature lyuynge 
That herde swich another waymentynge. 
And of this cry they nolde neuere stenten, 
Til they the reynes of his brydel henten. 

' What folk been ye, that at myn hom-comynge 905 
Perturben so my feste with criynge ? ' 
Quod Theseus, * Haue ye so greet enuye 
Of myn honour that thus compleyne and crye? 
Or who hath yow mysboden or offended ? 
And telleth me if it may been amended, 910 

889. H4 lette and al |>is r. 894. a come; El H4 vnto. 895. e 
omits 2d in. 897. El omits heighe. 903. H4 that c. ne wolde }>ey s. 
D 



34 KNIGHTES TALE [^911-938 

And why that ye been clothed thus in blak ? ' 

The eldeste lady of hem alle spak 
Whan she hadde swowned with a deedly cheere, 
That it was routhe for to seen and heere. 
She seyde, ' Lord, to whom fortune hath yiuen 915 

Victorie and as a conqueror to lyuen, 
Nat greueth vs youre glorie and youre honour, 
But we biseken mercy and socour. 
Haue mercy on oure wo and oure distresse, 
Som drope of pitee thurgh thy gentillesse 920 

Vpon vs wrecched wommen lat thou falle. 
For certes, lord, ther is noon of vs alle 
That she ne hath been a duchesse or a queene ; 
Now be we caytyues as it is wel seene, 
Thanked be Fortune and hir false wheel 925 

That noon estat assureth to be weel. 
And certes, lord, to abyden youre presence, 
Heere in this temple of the goddesse Clemence 
We haue ben waitynge al this fourtenyght ; 
Now help vs, lord, sith it is in thy myght. 930 

I wrecche, which that wepe and waille thus, 
Was whilom wyf to kyng Cappaneus, 
That starf at Thebes ; cursed be that day ! 
And alle we that been in this array 
And maken al this lamentacioun, 935 

We losten alle oure housbondes at that toun, 
Whil that the seege ther aboute lay. 

And yet now the olde Creon, weylaway ! 

• 

911. H 4 clad bus al in bl. 915. El H 4 And seyde; El Pe H 4 
yeuen. 917. H4 omits 2d youre. 920. H4 youre g. 921. SI 
yow, Pe novve, Co Ln yzfor thou. 926. e ensureth. 928. El H4 
the tern. 929. El H 4 Pe han. 930. e omits Now. 931. El 

criey^r waille. 932. SI Co Ln of for to. 933. Hn the day. 936. H 4 
we leften, the toun. 937. e assege. 



A 939-968] KNIGHTES TALE 35 

That lord is now of Thebes the citee, 

Fulfild of ire and of iniquitee, 94 o 

He, for despit and for his tirannye, 

To do the dede bodyes vileynye 

Of alle oure lordes whiche that been slawe, 

Hath alle the bodyes on an heep ydravve, 

And wol nat suffren hem, by noon assent, 945 

Neither to been yburyed nor ybrent, 

But maketh houndes ete hem in despit/ 

And with that word withouten moore respit 
They fillen gruf and criden pitously, 
'Haue on vs wrecched womraen som mercy, 950 

And lat oure sorvve synken in thyn herte.' 

This gentil due doun from his courser sterte 
With herte pitous, whan he herde hem speke. 
Hym thoughte that his herte wolde breke 
Whan he saugh hem, so pitous and so maat, 955 

That whilom weren of so greet estaat ; 
And in his armes he hem alle vp hente, 
And hem conforteth in ful good entente, 
And swoor his ooth, as he was trewe knyght 
He wolde doon so ferforthly his myght 960 

Vpon the tiraunt Creon hem to wreke, 
That al the peple of Grece sholde speke 
How Creon was of Theseus yserued 
As he that hadde his deeth ful wel deserued. 
And right anoon withouten moore abood 965 

His baner he desplayeth and forth rood 
To Thebesward, and al his hoost biside. 
No neer Atthenes wolde he go ne ride, 

943. H 4 I-slawe. 944. El He hath. 955. SI Co Ln pite. 

965. Gg begins again. SI extract ends with 964. 966. e displaied. 
968. Gg e H 4 ner (Co Ln nerre). 



36 KNIGHTES TALE [^969-997 

Ne take his ese fully half a day, 

But onward on his wey that nyght he lay. 970 

And sente anon Ypolita the queene, 

And Emelye, hir yonge suster sheene, 

Vnto the toun of Atthenes to dwelle, 

And forth he rit ; ther is namoore to telle. 

The rede statue of Mars with spere and targe 975 
So shyneth in his white baner large, 
That alle the feeldes glyteren vp and doun ; 
And by his baner born is his penoun 
Of gold ful riche, in which ther was y-bete 
The Mynotaur which that he slough in Crete. 980 

Thus rit this due, thus rit this conquerour, 
And in his hoost of chiualrie the flour, 
Til that he cam to Thebes, and alighte 
Faire in a feeld ther as he thoughte to fighte. 
But shortly for to speken of this thyng, 985 

With Creon, which that was of Thebes kyng, 
He faught, and slough hym manly as a knyght 
In pleyn bataille, and putte the folk to flyght ; 
And by assaut he wan the citee after, 
And rente adoun bothe wall and sparre and rafter; 990 
And to the ladyes he restored agayn 
The bones of hir freendes that were slayn 
To doon obsequies as was tho the gyse. 
But it were al to longe for to deuyse 
The grete clamour and the waymentynge 995 

That the ladyes made at the brennynge 
Of the bodies, and the grete honour 



974. Hn Co nys. 977. Co Ln feelde. 978. Gg is born, Hn 

born was, H4 was b. 980. Hn e wan for slough. 983. Gg Co Pe 
come. 984. a omits to. 989. Gg e assent (? asseut) for assaut. 

992. El H4 housbondesyftr freendes ; El weren. 993. H4 exequies. 



// 998-1026] KNIGHTES TALE 37 

That Theseus, the noble conquerour, 

Dooth to the ladyes whan they from hym wente ; 

But shortly for to telle is myn entente. 1000 

Whan that this worthy due, this Theseus, 
Hath Creon slayn and wonne Thebes thus, 
Stille in that feeld he took al nyght his reste, 
And dide with al the contree as hym leste. 

To ransake in the taas of bodyes dede, 1005 

Hem for to strepe of harneys and of wede, 
The pilours diden bisynesse and cure 
After the bataille and disconfiture. 
And so bifel that in the taas they founde, 
Thurgh-girt with many a greuous blody wounde, 1010 
Two yonge knyghtes liggynge by and by, 
Bothe in oon armes wroght ful richely, 
Of whiche two Arcita highte that oon, 
And that oother knyght highte Palamon. 
Nat fully quyke, ne fully dede they were, 1015 

But by here cote-armures and by hir gere 
The heraudes knewe hem best in special 
As they that weren of the blood roial 
Of Thebes, and of sustren two yborn. 
Out of the taas the pilours han hem torn, 1020 

And han hem caried softe vnto the tente 
Of Theseus ; and he ful soone hem sente 
To Atthenes to dwellen in prisoun 
Perpetuelly, he nolde no raunsoun. 
And whan this worthy due hath thus ydon, 1025 

He took his hoost and hoom he ryt anon, 

999. e bodyes for ladyes. 1005,1009. H4 e cas for taas ; El e the b. 
1008. Pe Ln the d. 1012. e armes same/^r oon a. 1016. Gg II4 
armure. 1017. e self, H4 welfor best. 1020. e caas, H 4 chaas. 

1022. El H4 ful s. he hem. 1024. e hem nolde he (Ln omits he) 

not r. 1025. H 4 And j?is d. whan he hadde thus. 1026. El rood. 



38 KNIGHTES TALE [A 1027-1055 

With laurer crowned as a conquerour ; 

And ther he lyueth in Ioye and in honour 

Terme of his lyf ; what nedeth wordes mo ? 

And in a tour in angwissh and in wo 1030 

This Palamon and his felawe Arcite 

For euermoore; ther may no gold hem quite. 

This passeth yeer by yeer and day by day, 

Til it fil ones in a morvve of May, 

That Emelye, that fairer was to sene 1035 

Than is the lylie vpon his stalke grene, 

And fressher than the May with floures newe, — 

For with the rose colour stroof hir hewe, 

I noot which was the fairer of hem two, -=r- 

Er it were day, as was hir wone to do, 1040 

She was arisen and al redy dight ; 

For May wole haue no slogardie a nyght. 

The sesoun priketh euery gentil herte 

And maketh it out of his slep to sterte, 

And seith, ' Arys and do thyn obseruaunce.' 1045 

This maketh Emelye haue remembraunce 

To doon honour to May, and for to ryse. 

Yclothed was she fressh, for to deuyse : 

Hir yelow heer was broyded in a tresse 

Bihynde hir bak, a yerde long, I gesse. 1050 

And in the gardyn at the sonne vp-riste 

She walketh vp and doun, and as hir liste 

She gadereth floures, party white and rede, 

To make a subtil gerland for hir hede, 

And as an aungel heuenysshly she soong. 1055 

1029. El (!g omit his; Ellyue; H4 wolle 3c for nedeth. 1031. Hn 
€ Dwellen this Palamon and eek Arcite. 1039. El Gg H4 fyner. 

1040. H4 as sche was wont. 1042. El slogardrie. 1044. El H4 

hym for it. 1045. e don May. 1046. El H4 maked. 1052. H4 

wher for 2d and. io 55» H4 Pe heuenly. 



,41056-1085] KNIGHTES TALE 39 

The grete tour, that was so thikke and stroong, 
Which of the castel was the chief dongeoun 
(Ther as the knyghtes weren in prisoun, 
Of whiche I tolde yow and tellen shal), 
Was euene Ioynant to the gardyn wal 1060 

Ther as this Emelye hadde hir pleyynge. 
Bright was the sonne and cleer in that mornynge, 
And Palarnon, this woful prisoner, 
As was his wone bi leue of his gayler, 
Was risen and romed in a chambre on heigh, 1065 

In which he al the noble citee seigh, 
And eek the gardyn, ful of braunches grene, 
Ther as this fresshe Emelye the sheene 
Was in hire walk and romed vp and doun. 
This sorweful prisoner, this Palamoun, 1070 

Goth in the chambre romynge to and fro, 
And to hymself compleynynge of his wo 
That he was born ; ful ofte he seyde, ' Alias ! ' 
And so bifel, by auenture or cas, 

That thurgh a wyndow, thikke of many a barre 1075 
Of iren greet and square as any sparre, 
He cast his eye vpon Emelya, 
And therwithal he bleynte and cride, ' A ! ' 
As though he stongen were vnto the herte. 
And with that cry Arcite anon vp sterte 1080 

And seyde, ' Cosyn myn, what eyleth thee, 
That art so pale and deedly on to see? 
Why cridestow? who hath thee doon offence? 
For Goddes loue, taak al in pacience 
Oure prisoun, for it may noon oother be ; 1085 

1062. El H4 omit in; El Gg H4 morwenynge. 1063. El this Pal. 

1066. Gg omits noble. 1070. Gg louere/^r prisoner. 1073. Gg 

Iforisthe; e omits 2d 'he. I077- H4 e even. 1083. Gg cryestow. 



40 KNIGHTES TALE [^1086-1114 

Fortune hath yeuen vs this aduersitee. 

Som wikke aspect or disposicioun 

Of Saturne, by sum constellacioun, 

Hath yeuen vs this, although we hadde it sworn ; 

So stood the heuene whan that we were born, 1090 

We moste endure it, this is the short and playn.' 

This Palamon answerde and seyde agayn, 
* Cosyn, for sothe of this opinioun 
Thow hast a veyn ymaginacioun ; 

This prison caused me nat for to crye, 1095 

But I was hurt right now thurghout myn ye 
Into myn herte, that wol my bane be. 
The fairnesse of that lady that I see 
Yond in the gardyn romen to and fro, 
Is cause of al my criyng and my wo. uoo 

I noot wher she be womman or goddesse, 
But Venus is it, soothly, as I gesse.' 
And therwithal on knees doun he fil 
And seyde : ' Venus, if it be thy wil 
Yow in this gardyn thus to transfigure U05 

Bifore me, sorweful, wrecche creature, 
Out of this prisoun help that we may scape. 
And if so be my destynee be shape 
By eterne word to dyen in prisoun, 
Of oure lynage haue som compassioun mo 

That is so lowe ybroght by tirannye.' 

And with that word Arcite gan espye 
Wher as this lady romed to and fro ; 
And with that sighte hir beautee hurte hym so, 



1087. Hn Gg Ln wikked. 1091. El omits it. 1095. Hn e omit 

for. 1096. El Ln eye. 1099. Pe Ln romyng. 1 106. H4 e 

wrecched. 1107. Co Pe mowe. 1107, 1108. El scapen, shapen. 
1 108. H4 Co oure d. 



^ 1115-1142] KNIGHTES TALE 41 

That, if that Palamon was wounded sore, 1115 

Arcite is hurt as moche as he, or moore. 

And with a syk he seyde pitously : 

'The fresshe beautee sleeth me sodeynly 

Of hir that rometh in the yonder place, 

And but I haue hir mercy and hir grace 1120 

That I may seen hir atte leeste w r eye, 

I nam but deed \ ther nys namoore to seye.' 

This Palamon whan he tho wordes herde, 
Dispitously he looked and answerde, 
' Wheither seistow this in ernest or in pley ? * 1125 

1 Nay,' quod Arcite, ' in ernest, by my fey ! 
God help me so, me list ful yuele pleye.' 

This Palamon gan knytte his browes tweye. 
1 It were to thee,' quod he, ' no greet honour, 
For to be fals ne for to be traitour 1130 

To me, that am thy cosyn and thy brother 
Y-sworn ful depe and ech of vs til oother, 
That neuere, for to dyen in the peyne, 
Til that the deeth departe shal vs tweyne, 
Neither of vs in loue to hyndre oother, 1135 

Ne in noon oother cas, my leeue brother ; 
But that thou sholdest trewely forthren me 
In euery cas, and I shal forthren thee — 
This was thyn ooth and myn also certeyn, 
I woot right wel, thou darst it nat withseyn. 1140 

Thus artow of my conseil out of doute ; 
And now thow woldest falsly been aboute 

1 1 17. ElH 4 Pesigh. 11 19. H 4 yonder in the. 1123. ejus 

wordes. 1125. Wheither is better written in v. 1101. 11 26. H 4 

in good fey. 11 29. El H 4 It nere quod he to thee. 1134. El 

H 4 omit the, Ln til de)?e ha^e d. H37* € former more (? forther me 
misread as forthermo). ll 3&- El as for and; e forl?re J>e J^ore 

(for the sake of rhyme}. H39« Hn as for and. 



42 KNIGHTES TALE [^1143-1171 

To loue my lady whom I loue and serue, 

And euere shal til that myn herte sterue. 

Now certes, false Arcite, thow shalt nat so ; 1145 

I loued hir first, and tolde thee my wo 

As to my conseil and my brother sworn 

To forthre me, as I haue toold biforn. 

For which thou art ybounden as a knyght 

To helpen me, if it lay in thy myght ; 1150 

Or elles artow fals, I dar wel seyn.' 

This Arcite ful proudly spak ageyn ; 
1 Thow shalt,' quod he, ' be rather fals than I ; 
But thou art fals, I telle thee vttirly, 
Y ox par amour I loued hir first er thow. - 1155 

What wiltow seyn? thou wistest nat yet now 
Wheither she be a womman or goddesse ! 
Thyn is affeccioun of hoolynesse, 
And myn is loue as to a creature ; 

For which I tolde thee myn auenture 1160 

As to my cosyn and my brother sworn. 
I pose that thow louedest hir biforn, 
Wostow nat wel the olde clerkes sawe, 
That 'Who shal yeue a louere any lawe? 
Loue is a gretter lawe, by my pan, 1165 

Than may be yeue to any erthely man /' 
And therfore positif lawe and swich decree 
Is broke al day for loue in ech degree. 
A man moot nedes loue, maugree his heed ; 
He may nat fieen it, thogh he sholde be deed, 1170 

Al be she mayde, or wydwe, or elles wyf. 



1 147. ElGgtomyb., H4 tob.yftrmy b. {But conseil may be a mistake 
for cosyn, cp. 1/3/, 1161.) 1 154. a And thou; e witterly, a outrely. 
1 156. Hn H 4 wost; H 4 e it not. 1161. e to my b. 11 66. El of 

for to. 1 171. H4 or be sche widwe or wyf. 



^u 7 2-i2oi] KNIGHTES TALE 43 

And eek it is nat likly al thy lyf, 

To stonden in hir grace, namoore shal I ; 

For wel thou woost thyseluen verraily 

That thou and I ben dampned to prisoun 1175 

Perpetuelly ; vs gayneth no raunsoun. 

We stryue as dide the houndes for the boon, 

They foughte al day and yet hir part was noon ; 

Ther cam a kyte, vvhil that they were so wrothe, 

And baar awey the boon bitwixe hem bothe. 1180 

And therfore at the kynges court, my brother, 

Ech man for hymself, ther is noon oother. 

Loue if thee list, for I loue and ay shal, 

And soothly, ieeue brother, this is al. 

Heere in this prisoun moote we endure 1185 

And euerich of vs take his auenture.' 

Greet was the strif, and long, bitwix hem tweye, 
If that I hadde leyser for to seye ; 
But to theflect. It happed on a day, 
To telle it yow as shortly as I may, 1190 

A worthy due, that highte Perotheus, 
That felawe was vnto due Theseus 
Syn thilke day that they were children lite, 
Was come to Atthenes his felawe to visite, 
And for to pleye as he was wont to do ; 1195 

For in this world he loued no man so, 
And he loued hym as tendrely agayn. 
So wel they louede, as olde bookes sayn, 
That whan that oon was deed, soothly to telle, 
His felawe wente and soughte hym doun in helle — 1200 
'But of that storie list me nat to write. 

1 1 77. Co now as; e omit dide the, H4 doth the. Ix 79- e H4 

com; El omits that, Gg omits so. 1189. e this eff. 1 192. El to, 

H4 to he for vnto. 1 195. El Gg won. 



44 KNIGHTES TALE [A i 202-1 230 

Due Perotheus loued wel Arcite 

And hadde hym knowe at Thebes yeer by yere. 

And finally, at requeste and preyere 

Of Perotheus, withouten any raunsoun 1205 

Due Theseus hym leet out of prisoun 

Frely to goon wher that hym liste oueral, 

In swich a gyse as I you tellen shal. 

This was the forward, pleynly for tendite, 
Bitvvixen Theseus and hym Arcite : 1210 

That if so were that Arcite were founde 
Euere in his lif, by day or nyght or stounde, 
In any contree of this Theseus, 
And he were caught, it was acorded thus, - 
That with a svverd he sholde lese his heed. 1215 

Ther nas noon oother remedie ne reed ; 
But taketh his leue and homvvard he him spedde — 
Lat hym be war, his nekke lith to wedde. 

How greet a sorwe suffreth now Arcite ! 
The deeth he feeleth thurgh his herte smyte ; 1220 

He wepeth, wayleth, crieth pitously ; 
To sleen hymself he waiteth priuely. 
He seyde, ' Alias that day that I was born ! 
Now is my prisoun worse than biforn ; 
Now is me shape eternally to dwelle 1225 

Nat in purgatorie but in helle. 
Alias that euere knew I Perotheus ! 
For elles hadde I dwelled with Theseus 
Y-fetered in his prisoun euermo. 
Thanne hadde I been in blisse, and nat in wo ; 1230 



1209. H4 Ln to for forto. I2II. a y founde. 1217. H4 took. 

1221. Pe he w. and w. and c., Ln he w. he w. and c. 1223. El he 

for I; H 2 the d. ; Ln omits that day. 1226. El my purg. 

1227. e euer I knew. 



A 1 231-1259] KNIGHT ES TALE 45 

Oonly the sighte of hir whom that I serue, 

Though that I neuer hir grace may deserue, 

Wolde han suffised right ynough for me. 

O deere cosyn Palamon,' quod he, 

' Thyn is the victorie of this auenture ! 1235 

Ful blisfully in prison maistow dure, — 

In prisoun? certes nay, but in Paradys ! 

Wei hath Fortune y-turned thee the dys, 

That hast the sighte of hir and I thabsence. 

For possible is, syn thou hast hir presence 1240 

And art a knyght a worthy and an able, 

That by som cas, syn Fortune is chaungeable, 

Thow maist to thy desir som tyme atteyne. 

But I that am exiled and bareyne 

Of alle grace and in so greet dispeir 1245 

That ther nys erthe, water, fir, ne eir, 

Ne creature that of hem maked is, 

That may me helpe or doon confort in this — 

Wei oughte I sterue in wanhope and distresse ; 

Farwel ray lif, my lust and my gladnesse ! 1250 

' Alias, why pleynen men so in commune 
Of purueiaunce of God, or of Fortune, 
That yeueth hem ful ofte in many a gyse 
Wei bettre than they kan hem self deuyse ? 
Som man desireth for to han richesse, 1255 

That cause is of his mordre, or greet siknesse ; 
And som man wolde out of his prisoun fayn, 
That in his hous is of his meynee slayn. 
Infinite harmes been in this mateere, 

1236. e might hou d. ; H 4 to endure. 1237. Hn nay c., Gg nay 

parde; e omits 2d 'in. 1238. e torned. 1242. El om its by. 

1248. El heeleyfcr helpe. I2 5°- omitted in Ln.; H4 my 1. and al 

my Iolynesse. 1251. a H 4 folk for men. 1254. e bet. 

1256. Hn ofte of; a moerdre. 



46 KNIGHTES TALE [A 1260-1288 

We woot nat what thing that we preyen heere. 1260 

We faren as he that dronke is as a mous. 

A dronke man woot wel he hath an hous, 

But he noot which the righte wey is thider, 

And to a dronke man the wey is slider ; 

And certes in this world so faren we : 1265 

We seken faste after felicitee, 

But we goon wrong ful often trewely. 

Thus may we seyen alle, and namely I, 

That wende and hadde a greet opinioun 

That if I myghte scapen from prisoun, 1270 

Thanne hadde I been in Ioye and perfit heele, 

Ther now I am exiled fro my wele. 

Syn that I may nat seen you, Emelye, 

I nam but deed, there nys no remedye.' 

Vpon that oother syde Palamon, 1275 

Whan that he wiste Arcite was agon, 
Swich sorwe he maketh that the grete tour 
Resouneth of his youlyng and clamour ; 
The pure fettres of his shynes grete 
Weren of his bittre, salte teeres wete. 1280 

' Alias ! ' quod he, ' Arcita, cosyn myn, 
Of al oure strif God woot the fruyt is thyn ; 
Thow walkest now in Thebes at thy large, 
And of my wo thow yeuest litel charge. 
Thou mayst, syn thou hast wysdom and manhede, 1285 
Assemblen al the folk of oure kynrede, 
And make a werre so sharp on this citee, 
That by som auenture or som tretee 



1260. El witen nat what we, etc., H4 wote neuere wh. Jnng we, etc. 
1262. wel that. 1268. a Gg e seyn. 1270. El escapen. 

1272. El that for ther. 1274. earn; Gg non other weye/br no rem. 

1276. H4 e )>at A. 1278. El resouned. 1279. El Ln on for of. 



^1289-1318] KNIGHTES TALE 47 

Thow mayst haue hir to lady and to wyf 

For whom that I moste nedes lese my lyf. 1290 

For as by wey of possibilitee, 

Sith thou art at thy large, of prisoun free, 

And art a lord, greet is thyn auauntage, 

Moore than is myn that sterue here in a cage. 

For I moot wepe and wayle while I lyue 1295 

With al the wo that prison may me yiue, 

And eek with peyne that loue me yeueth also, 

That doubleth al my torment and my wo.' 

Therwith the fyr of Ialousie vpsterte 

Withinne his brest and hente him by the herte 1300 

So woodly that he lyk was to biholde 

The boxtree, or the asshen, dede and colde. 

Thanne seyde he, ' O crewel goddes that gouerne 
This world with byndyng of youre word eterne, 
And writen in the table of atthamaunt 1305 

Youre parlement and youre eterne graunt, 
What is mankynde moore vnto you holde 
Than is the sheep that rouketh in the folde ? 
For slayn is man right as another beest, 
And dwelleth eek in prison and arreest, 1310 

And hath siknesse and greet aduersitee, 
And ofte tymes giltelees, pardee. 

1 What gouernance is in this prescience, 
That giltelees tormenteth innocence? 
And yet encreseth this al my penaunce, 1315 

That man is bounden to his obseruaunce 
For Goddes sake to letten of his wille 
Ther as a beest may al his lust fulfille ; 

1289. hire wynne for haue h. 1295. e whil bat; Co Ln leue. 

1296. H4 Co ^yue, others yeue. 1306. Gg Thorw par. 131 2, 

1 314. a Pe Ln giltless. 



48 KNTGHTES TALE \_A 1319-1346 

And whan a beest is deed he hath no peyne, 

But man after his deeth moot wepe and pleyne, 1320 

Though in this world he haue care and wo — 

Withouten doute it may stonden so. 

The answere of this I lete to dyuynys, 

But well I woot that in this world greet pyne ys. 

Alias ! I se a serpent or a theef, 1325 

That many a trewe man hath doon mescheef, 

Goon at his large, and where hym list may turne ; 

But I moot been in prisoun thurgh Saturne, 

And eek thurgh Iuno, Ialous and eek wood, 

That hath destroyed wel ny al the blood 1330 

Of Thebes, with his waste walles wyde ; - 

And Venus sleeth me on that oother syde 

For Ialousie and fere of hym Arcite.' 

Now wol I stynte of Palamon a lite 
And lete hym in his prisoun stille dwelle, 1335 

And of Arcita forth I wol yow telle. 

The sommer passeth, and the nyghtes longe 
Encresen double wise the peynes stronge 
Bothe of the louere and the prisoner. 
I noot which hath the wofuller myster ; 1340 

For shortly for to seyn this Palamoun 
Perpetuelly is dampned to prisoun 
In cheynes and in fettres to been deed, 
And Arcite is exiled vpon his heed 
For eueremo, as out of that contree, 1345 

Ne neueremo ne shal his lady see. 

1 319. Hn it/or he. 1320. El e man follows deeth. 1322. II n 

moot. 1335. H4 stille in his pr. 1337- El sonneyfor somer; Hn 

omits passeth. 1 33^> € encreseth. 1340. Hn sorwefuller yfrr wof.; 
H4 w. cheer. 1341. Hn soothly; Co of Pal., Pe of }?is Pal. 1343. e 
to J>e ded. 1346. El he shai, Gg shal, Co he ne schal, H4 schal he 
for ne shal. 



^ 1347-1371] KNIGHTES TALE 49 

Yovv loueres axe I now this questioun, 
Who hath the worse, Arcite or Palamoun? 
That oon may seen his lady day by day, 
But in prison he moot dwelle alway ; 1350 

That oother wher hym list may ride or go, 
But seen his lady shal he neuer mo. 
Now demeth as yow liste, ye that kan, 
For I wol telle forth as I bigan. 

Explicit prima pars. 

PART II. 

Sequitur pars secunda. 

Whan that Arcite to Thebes comen was, 1355 

Ful ofte a day he swelte and seyde, ' Alias ! p 
For seen his lady shal he neueremo. 
And shortly to concluden al his wo, 
So muche sorwe hadde neuere creature 
That is, or shal, whil that the world may dure. 1360 

His siep, his mete, his drynke, is hym biraft, 
That lene he weex and drye as is a shaft : 
His eyen holwe and grisly to biholde, 
His hewe falwe, and pale asshen colde, 
And solitarie he was and euere allone, 1365 

And waillynge al the nyght makynge his mone : 
And if he herde song or instrument 
Thanne wolde he wepe, he myghte nat be stent. 
So feble eek were his spiritz and so lowe, 
And chaunged so that no man koude knowe 1370 

His speche nor his voys, though men it herde : 

1350. Hn e moot he. 1353. a Co Pe list. 1362. El Pe wexeth. 
1364. a falow. 1369. e he /or 2d so. 



50 KNIGHTES TALE [A 1372-1400 

And in his geere for al the world he ferde, 

Nat oonly lik the loueris maladye 

Of Hereos, but rather lyk Manye 

Engendred of humour malencolik 1375 

Biforen in his celle fantastik ; 

And shortly turned was al vpsodoun 

Bothe habit and eek disposicioun 

Of hyra, this woful louere daun Arcite. 

What sholde I al day of his wo endite? 1380 

Whan he endured hadde a yeer or two 
This crueel torment and this peyne and woo, 
At Thebes, in his contree, as I seyde, 
Vpon a nyght in sleep as he hym leyde r 
Hym thoughte how that the wynged god Mercurie 1385 
Biforn hym stood and bad hym to be murie. 
His slepy yerde in hond he bar vprighte, 
An hat he werede vpon his heris brighte. 
Arrayed was this god, as he took keep, 
As he was whan that Argus took his sleep. 1390 

And seyde hym thus, ' To Atthenes shaltou wende, 
Ther is thee shapen of thy wo an ende.' 
And with that word Arcite wook and sterte. 
i Now trewely, hou soore that me smerte,' 
Quod he, ' to Atthenes right now wol I fare, 1395 

Ne for the drede of deeth shal I nat spare 
To se my lady that I loue and serue ; 
In hir presence I recche nat to sterue.' 

And with that word he caughte a greet mirour, 
And saugh that chaunged was al his colour, 1400 



1373. e comly for oonly and to for the. 1374- e heres; H4 

hereos. 1 37^>- All but H4 omit in {due to n in biforen?); a Gg his 

owene selle. 1377. e vp and d. 1378. e omit eek. 1388. El 

vp hise for vpon his. 



^1401-1430] KNIGHTES TALE 5 1 

And saugh his visage al in another kynde. 

And right anon it ran hym in his mynde, 

That sith his face was so disfigured 

Of maladye the which he hadde endured, 

He myghte wei, if that he bar hym lowe, 1405 

Lyue in Atthenes eueremore vnknowe, 

And seen his lady wel ny day by day. 

And right anon he chaunged his array 

And cladde hym as a poure laborer, 

And al allone, saue oonly a squier 1410 

That knew his priuetee and al his cas, 

Which was disgised pourely as he was, 

To Atthenes is he goon the nexte way. 

And to the court he wente vpon a day, 

And at the gate he profreth his seruyse 141 5 

To drugge and drawe what so men wol deuyse. 

And shortly of this matere for to seyn, 

He fii in office with a chamberleyn 

The which that dwellynge was with Emelye ; 

For he was wys and koude soone espye 1420 

Of euery seruaunt which that serueth here. 

Wel koude he hewen wode, and water bere, 

For he was yong and myghty for the nones, 

And therto he was long and big of bones 

To doon that any wight kan hym deuyse. 1425 

A yeer or two he was in this seruyse, 

Page of the chambre of Emelye the brighte, 

And Philostrate he seyde that he highte. 

But half so wel biloued a man as he 

Ne was ther neuere in court of his degree ; 1430 

1416. Ggdrogge; Gg wolde d. 1417. H 4 on this m. 1419. e was 
dwellyng. 1420. esone cou^e. 1421. H 4 serued. 1424. Hne strong 
for long. 1425. Hn what any; e him can. 



5 2 KNIGHTES TALE [^1431-1461 

He was so gentil of condicioun 

That thurghout al the court was his renoun. 

They seyden that it were a charitee 

That Theseus wolde enhauncen his degree, 

And putten hym in worshipful seruyse, i 435 

Ther as he myghte his vertu exercise. 

And thus withinne a while his name is spronge, 

Bothe of hise dedes and his goode tonge, 

That Theseus hath taken hym so neer, 

That of his chambre he made hym a squier, i 440 

And yaf him gold to mayntene his degree. 

And eek men broghte hym out of his contree 

From yeer to yeer, ful pryuely, his rente ; 

But honestly and slyly he it spente, 

That no man wondred how that he it hadde. 1445 

And thre yeer in this wise his lif he ladde, 

And bar hym so in pees, and eek in werre, 

Ther was no man that Theseus hath derre. 

And in this blisse lete I now Arcite 

And speke I wole of Palamon a lite. i 45 o 

In derknesse and horrible and strong prison 
This seuen yeer hath seten Palamon 
Forpyned what for wo and for distresse. 
Who feeleth double soor and heuynesse 
But Palamon, that loue destreyneth so i 455 

That wood out of his wit he goth for wo? 
And eek ther-to he is a prisoner 
Perpetuelly, noght only for a yer. 

Who koude ryme in Englyssh proprely 
His martirdom ? for sothe it am nat I ; 1460 

Therfore I passe as lightly as I may. 



1431. El H 4 of his c. 1436. Gg Co Ther that. 1454. El omits 
and; Gg H 4 sorwe/7r soor. 1455. Co drenched so. 



^1462-1491] KNIGHTES TALE 53 

It fel that in the seuenthe yer, in May, 
The thridde nyght (as olde bookes seyn, 
That al this storie tellen moore pleyn) 
Were it by auenture or destynee — 1465 

As whan a thyng is shapen it shal be, — 
That soone after the mydnyght Palamoun 
By helpyng of a freend brak his prisoun, 
And fleeth the citee faste as he may go ; 
For he hade yeue his gayler drynke so 1470 

Of a claree maad of a certeyn wyn, 
With nercotikes and opie of Thebes fyn, 
That al that nyght, thogh that men wolde him shake, 
The gayler sleep, he myghte nat awake ; 
And thus he fleeth as faste as euere he may. 1475 

The nyght was short and faste by the day, 
That nedes cost he moot hymseluen hyde ; 
And til a groue faste ther bisyde 
With dredeful foot thanne stalketh Palamoun. 
For, shortly, this was his opinioun, 1480 

That in that groue he wolde hym hyde al day, 
And in the nyght thanne wolde he take his way 
To Thebes-ward, his freendes for to preye 
On Theseus to helpe him to werreye ; 
And, shortly, outher he wolde lese his lif, 1485 

Or wynnen Emelye vnto his wyf. 
This is theffect and his entente pleyn. 

Now wol I turne vnto Arcite ageyn, 
That litel wiste how ny that was his care, 
Til that Fortune had broght him in the snare. 1490 

The bisy'larke, messager of day, 

1462. Hnthatseu.; HneofMay. 1464. e telleK 1468. e omits 
his. 1471. Hn Gg H4 ^wi/ a. 1481. Gg muste hym. i486, e to 
his louely wif. 1488. a to for vnto; Ln Now whiles turne we 

to A., etc. 1490. e kaught him in his snare. 



54 KNIGHTES TALE [A 1492-1520 

Salueth in hir song the morwe gray, 

And firy Phebus riseth vp so brighte 

That al the orient laugheth of the lighte, 

And with hise stremes dryeth in the greues 1495 

The siluer dropes hangynge on the leues. 

And Arcita, that is in the court roial 

With Theseus his squier principal, 

Is risen and looketh on the merye day. 

And for to doon his obseruaunce to May, 1500 

Remembrynge on the poynt of his desir, 

He on a courser, startlynge as the fir, 

Is riden into the feeldes hym to pleye, 

Out of the court, were it a myle or tweye. 

And to the groue of which that I yow tolde 1505 

By auenture his wey he gan to holde, 

To maken hym a garland of the greues, 

Were it of wodebynde or hawethorn leues ; 

And loude he song ayeyn the sonne shene : 

1 May, with alle thy floures and thy grene 1510 

Welcome be thou, faire, fresshe May, 

In hope that I som grene gete may.' 

And from his courser with a lusty herte 

Into the groue ful hastily he sterte, 

And in a path he rometh vp and doun 1515 

Ther as by auenture this Palamoun 

Was in a bussh, that no man myghte hym se, 

For soore afered of his deeth was he. 

No-thyng ne knew he that it was Arcite. 

God woot he wolde haue trowed it ful lite, 1520 



1494. Pe of his si3t; Ln of be sight. ^497- Hn e omit is, Co also 
omits that. 1498. II n omits his; Gg is for his. 1502. H4 e 

stertyng. 1512. e I hope. 1514. El a gr. 1515. Gg H 4 romed. 
1516. e of >is P. 1518. El e aferd. 



A 1 521-1549] KNIGHTES TALE 55 

But sooth is seyd, go sithen many yeres, 

' That feeld hath eyen and the wode hath eres ; ' 

It is ful fair a man to bere hym euene, 

' For al day meeteth men at vnset steuene.' 

Ful litel woot Arcite of his felawe 1525 

That was so ny to herken of his sawe, 

For in the bussh he sitteth now ful stille. 

Whan that Arcite hadde romed al his fille, 
And songen al the roundel lustily, 

Into a studie he fil sodeynly, 1530 

As doon thise loueres in hir queynte geres, 
Now in the crop, now doun in the breres, 
Now up, now doun, as boket in a welle. 
Right as the Friday, soothly for to telle — 
Now it shyneth, now it reyneth faste — 1535 

Right so kan geery Venus ouercaste 
The hertes of hir folk ; right as hir day 
Is gereful, right so chaungeth she array, — 
1 Selde is the Friday al the wike ylike.' 

Whan that Arcite had songe he gan to sike, 1540 

And sette hym doun withouten any moore : 
1 Alias/ quod he, i that day that I was bore ! 
How longe, Iuno, thurgh thy crueltee, 
Woltow werreyen Thebes the citee ? 
Alias, ybroght is to confusioun 1545 

The blood roial of Cadme and Amphioun, — 
Of Cadmus, which that was the firste man 
That Thebes bulte, or first the toun bigan, 
And of the citee first was crouned kyng. 



1524. El Pe meten, H4 men metek 1526. a herknen al his s; 

Gg heryn of his tale. 1530. Elalsod. 1532. H4 e croppe 

(perhaps croppes is the right reading). J 536. H4 e gan for kan. 

1539. El Gg wowke; Pe Ln weke. 1548. Hn bulte and first bigan. 



56 KNIGHTES TALE [A 15 50- 15 79 

Of his lynage am I and his ofspryng, 1550 

By verray ligne as of the stok roial ; 

And now I am so caytyf and so thral, 

That he that is my mortal enemy, 

I serue hym as his squier pourely. 

And yet dooth Iuno me wel moore shame, 1555 

For I dar noght biknowe myn owene name ; 

But ther as I was wont to highte Arcite 

Now highte I Philostrate, noght worth a myte. 

Alias, thou felle Mars ! alias, Iuno ! 

Thus hath youre ire oure lynage al fordo 1560 

Saue oonly me, and wrecched Palamoun, 

That Theseus martireth in prisoun. 

And ouer al this, to sleen me outrely 

Loue hath his firy dart so brennyngly 

Y-stiked thurgh my trewe, careful herte, 1565 

That shapen was my deeth erst than my sherte. 

Ye sleen me with youre eyen, Emelye ! 

Ye been the cause wherfore that I dye ! 

Of al the remenant of myn oother care 

Ne sette I nat the mountance of a tare, 1570 

So that I koude doon aught to youre plesaunce.' 

And with that word he fil doun in a traunce 

A longe tyme, and afterward he vp-sterte. 

This Palamoun, that thoughte that thurgh his herte 
He felte a coold swerd sodeynliche glyde, 1575 

For ire he quook, no lenger wolde he byde. 
And whan that he had herd Arcites tale, 
As he were wood, with face deed and pale 
He stirte hym vp out of the buskes thikke, 

1550. Pe Ln of his for his. I 555- € me Iuno ; H4 wel moore. 

1 559. e H>u Iuno. 1560. El kynrede for lynage. 1564. Co his 

faire dart; Pe Ln faire his d. 1573- El after he, etc.; H4 omits he; 

Ln he afterwarde. 1 575. Hn Pe Ln sodeynly. 



A 1 580-1 608] KNIGHTES TALE $J 

And seide, ' Arcite, false traytour wikke, 1580 

Now artovv hent, that louest my lady so, 

For whom that I haue al this peyne and wo. 

And art my blood, and to my conseil sworn, 

As I ful ofte haue seyd the heer-biforn, 

And hast byiaped heere due Theseus, 1585 

And falsely chaunged hast thy name thus ! 

I wol be deed, or elles thou shalt dye ; 

Thou shalt nat loue my lady Emelye, 

But I wol loue hire oonly and namo. 

For I am Palamon, thy mortal foo, 1590 

And though that I no wepne haue in this place, 

But out of prison am astert by grace, 

I drede noght that outher thow shalt dye, 

Or thow ne shalt nat louen Emelye. 

Chees which thou wolt, for thou shalt nat asterte ! ' 1595 

This Arcite, with ful despitous herte, 
Whan he hym knew and had his tale herd, 
As fiers as leoun pulled out a swerd, 
And seyde thus, ' By God that sit aboue, 
Nere it that thou art sik and wood for loue, 1600 

And eek that thow no wepne hast in this place, 
Thou sholdest neuere out of this groue pace, 
That thou ne sholdest dyen of myn hond ; 
For I defye the seurete and the bond 
Which that thou seist that I haue maad to thee. 1605 
What, verray fool, thynk wel that loue is fre ! 
And I wol loue hir mawgree al thy myght. 
But for as muche as thou art a worthy knyght 



1585. H 4 he due T. 1586. Ln haste hou eh. 1598. a his 

for a. l S99' Hn H4 e sitteth. 1600. e nere (Pe ne) it were 

that. 1608. El Gg Co oinit 2d as, H4 But for bou art a gentil 

parrot knight. 



58 KNIGHTES TALE [A 1609- 1637 

And wilnest to darreyne hire by bataille, 

Haue heer my trouthe, tomorwe I nyl nat faile, 1610 

Withoute wityng of any oother wight 

That heere I wol be founden as a knyght, 

And bryngen harneys right ynough for thee ; 

And chees the beste and leef the worste for me : 

And mete and drynke this nyght wol I brynge 161 5 

Ynough for thee, and clothes for thy beddynge. 

And if so be that thou my lady wynne 

And sle me in this wode ther I am inne, 

Thou may est wel haue thy lady as for me.' 

This Palamon answerde, ' I graunte it thee.' 1620 

And thus they been departed til amorwe, . 
Whan ech of hem had leyd his feith to borwe. 

O Cupide, out of alle charitee ! 
O regne that wolt no felawe haue with thee ! 
Ful sooth is seyd that loue ne lordshipe 1625 

Wol noght his thankes haue no felaweshipe. 
W T el fynden that Arcite and Palamoun ! 

Arcite is riden anon into the toun, 
And on the morwe, er it were dayes light, 
Ful priuely two harneys hath he dight, 1630 

Bothe suffisaunt and mete to darreyne 
The bataille in the feeld betwix hem tweyne ; 
And on his hors allone as he was born, 
He carieth al the harneys hym biforn. 
And in the groue at tyme and place y-set 1635 

This Arcite and this Palamon ben met. 
To chaungen gan the colour in hir face, 

1609. H4 wenesty^r wilnest. 1610. El Gg wol for nyl ; Ln wil I. 

1614. El e chese (in/in.); El Pe Ln leue (in/in.), 1616. H4 

cloth. 1621. Gg to parted. 1623. Co Ln occupied for O 

Cupide. 1626. El hir for his. 1627. e we fynde that of A. and of 

P«; Gg fyndy. 1629. Gg Pe day 1. 



A 1 638- 1 665] KNIGHTES TALE 59 

Right as the hunters in the regne of Trace, 

That stondeth at the gappe with a spere, 

Whan hunted is the leoun or the bere. 1640 

And hereth hym come russhyng in the greues 

And breketh bothe bovves and the leues, 

And thynketh, ' Heere cometh my mortal enemy, 

With-oute faile he moot be deed or I ; 

For outher I moot sleen hym at the gappe, 1645 

Or he moot sleen me, if that me myshappe.' 

So ferden they in chaungyng of hir hewe, 

As fer as euerich of hem oother knewe. 

Ther nas no ' Good day ' ne no saluyng, 
But streight withouten word or rehersyng 1650 

Euerich of hem heelp for to armen oother 
As frendly as he were his owene brother. 
And after that with sharpe speres stronge 
They foynen ech at oother wonder longe. 
Thou myghtest wene that this Palamoun 1655 

In his flghtyng were a wood leoun, 
And as a crueel tigre was Arcite : 
As wilde bores gonne they to smyte, 
That frothen whit as foom for ire wood, — 
Vp to the ancle foghte they in hir blood. 1660 

And in this wise I lete hem fightyng dwelle, 
And forth I wole of Theseus yow telle. 

The Destinee, ministre general, 
That executeth in the world ouer al 
The purueiaunce that God hath seyn biforn, 1665 

1639. Hn stonden. 1640. El and the b. 1647. P e L n omit 

they. 1648. Hn oother of hem kn. 165 1. Gghalp; Cohilp; Pe 

H4 helped (in A 4246 same set of variants save that Pe has helpe; 
see § 158). 1652. El freenly. 1654. Gg H4 foynedyn; H4 

om its wonder. 1655. H4 Tho it semed ]>at. 1656. Gg fy3t. 

1660. Hn Anclees; Gg anches. 



60 KNIGHTES TALE [A 1666-1695 

So strong it is that, though the world had sworn 

The contrarie of a thyng by ye or nay, 

Yet somtyme it shal fallen on a day 

That falleth nat eft withinne a thousand yeer. 

For certeinly oure appetites heer, 1670 

Be it of werre or pees or hate or loue, — 

Al is this reuled by the sighte aboue. 

This mene I now by myghty Theseus, 
That for to hunten is so desirus, 

And namely at the grete hert in May, 1675 

That in his bed ther daweth hym no day 
That he nys clad, and redy for to ryde 
With hunte and home, and houndes hym bisyde. 
For in his huntyng hath he swich delit, 
That it is al his ioye and appetit 1680 

To been hymself the grete hertes bane, 
For after Mars he serueth now Dyane. 

Cleer was the day, as I haue toold er this, 
And Theseus, with alle ioye and blis, 
With his Ypolita, the faire queene, 1685 

And Emelye, clothed al in grene, 
On huntyng be they riden roially. 
And to the groue, that stood ful faste by, 
In which ther was an hert, as men hym tolde, 
Due Theseus the streighte way hath holde. 1690 

And to the launde he rideth hym ful right, 
For thider was the hert wont to haue his flight, 
And ouer a brook, and so forth on his weye. 
This due wol han a cours at hym or tweye 
With houndes swiche as that hym list comaunde. 1695 

1666. H4 e \>ei for though. 1 680. Ln is hope ioye for his i. 

1690. Gg ry^te way. 1692. a omits to. 1693. El H4 in for on. 

1695. El Gg Ln H 4 omit that; Gg H4 which as. 



^1696-1724] KNIGHTES TALE 6 1 

And whan this due was come vnto the launde 
Vnder the sonne he looketh, and anon 
He was war of Arcite and Palamon, 
That foughten breme, as it were bores two. 
The brighte swerdes wenten to and fro 1700 

So hidously, that with the leeste strook 
It semed as it wolde felle an 00k ; 
But what they were no thyng he ne woot. 
This due his courser with .his spores smoot 
And at a stert he was bitwix hem two, 1705 

And pulled out a swerd and cride, ' Hoo ! 
Namoore, vp peyne of lesynge of youre heed ! 
By myghty Mars, he shal anon be deed 
That smyteth any strook that I may seen. 
But telleth me what myster men ye been, 1710 

That been so hardy for to lighten heere 
Withouten luge, or oother officere, 
As it were in a lystes roially ! ' 

This Palamon answerde hastily 
And seyde, ' Sire, what nedeth wordes mo? 1715 

We haue the deeth disserued, bothe two. 
Two woful wrecches been we, two caytyues 
That been encombred of oure owene lyues, 
And as thou art a rightful lord and luge, 
Ne yif vs neither mercy ne refuge, 1720 

But sle me first, for seinte Charitee, 
But sle my felawe eek as wel as me ; 
Or sle hym first, for though thow knowest it lite, 
This is thy mortal foo, this is Arcite, 



1699. Hn e boles (Lnboly). 1702. El fille. I 7°7- a Ln 

vponforvp. 1713. e litell liste r. 1720. ElPelTtyeue; Co ^iue. 

1723. e omits first; Hn H4 knowe; H4 him for it. 1724. Gg He 

is )?yn dedly enemy arcyte. 



62 KNIGHTES TALE [^1725-1755 

That fro thy lond is banysshed on his heed, 1725 

For which he hath deserued to be deed. 

For this is he that cam vnto thy gate 

And seyde that he highte Philostrate. 

Thus hath he iaped thee ful many a yer, 

And thou hast maked hym thy chief squier ; 1730 

And this is he that loueth Emelye ; 

For sith the day is come that I shal dye, 

I make pleynly my confessioun 

That I am thilke woful Palamoun, 

That hath thy prisoun broken wikkedly. 1735 

I am thy mortal foo, and it am I 

That loueth so hoote Emelye the brighte - 

That I wol dye present in hir sighte. 

Therfore I axe deeth and my Iuwise ; 

But sle my felawe in the same wise, 1740 

For bothe han we deserued to be slayn.' 

This worthy due answerde anon agayn, 
And seyde, ' This is a short conclusioun : 
Youre owene mouth by your confessioun 
Hath dampned yow, and I wol it recorde, 1745 

It nedeth noght to pyne yow with the corde ; 
Ye shal be deed, by myghty Mars the rede ! ' 

The queene anon for verray wommanhede 
Gan for to wepe, and so dide Emelye, 
And alle the ladyes in the compaignye. 1750 

Greet pitee was it, as it thoughte hem alle, 
That euere swich a chaunce sholde falle ; 
For gentil men they were of greet estaat, 
And no thyng but for loue was this debaat. 
And saugh hir blody woundes, wyde and soore, 1755 

1726. Ggseruyd; H4 I-serued. 1 73 2 - e }>at day. 1741. Pe 

Ln H4 we haue. 



^ 1756-1785] KNIGHTES TALE 63 

And alle crieden bothe lasse and moore, 

' Haue mercy, Lord, vpon vs wommen alle ! ' 

And on hir bare knees adoun they falle, 

And wolde haue kist his feet ther as he stood. 

Til at the laste aslaked was his mood, 1760 

For pitee renneth soone in gentil herte, 

And though he first for ire quook and sterte, 

He hath considered shortly in a clause 

The trespas of hem bothe, and eek the cause. 

And although that his ire hir gilt accused, 1765 

Yet in his resoun he hem bothe excused ; 

As thus : he thoghte wel that euery man 

Wol helpe hymself in loue, if that he kan, 

And eek deliuere hymself out of prisoun. 

And eek his herte hadde compassioun 1770 

Of wommen, for they wepen euere in oon ; 

And in his gentil herte he thoughte anon, 

And softe vnto hym-self he seyde, ' Fy 

Vpon a lord that wol haue no mercy, 

But been a leoun, bothe in word and dede, 1775 

To hem that been in repentaunce and drede, 

As wel as to a proud despitous man 

That wol maynteyne that he first bigan. 

That lord hath litel of discrecioun, 

That in swich cas kan no diuisioun, 1780 

But weyeth pride and humblesse after oon/ 

And shortly, whan his ire is thus agoon, 

He gan to looken vp with even lighte, 

And spak thise same wordes al on highte : 

'The God of loue, a benedicite! 1785 

1758. e doun. 1763. Ln H 4 omit hath. 1767. El H 4 Pe 
Ln and thus {pause-mark after thus in a). 1 771 . Hn wepten. 

1773. Gg to for vnto. 



64 KNIGHTES TALE [^1786-1814 

How myghty and how greet a lord is he ! 

Ayeyns his myght ther gayneth none obstacles, 

He may be cleped a god for his myracles ; 

For he kan maken at his owene gyse 

Of euerich herte as that hym list diuyse. 1790 

Lo heere this Arcite and this Palamoun, 

That quitly weren out of my prisoun 

And myghte naue lyued in Thebes roially ! 

And witen I am hir mortal enemy 

And that hir deth lith in my myght also; 1795 

And yet hath loue, maugree hir eyen two, 

Broght hem hyder bothe for to dye. 

Now looketh, is nat that an heigh folye?, 

" Who may been a fole, but if he loue? " 

Bihoold, for Goddes sake that sit aboue, i8jo 

Se how they blede ! Be they noght wel arrayed ? 

Thus hath hir lord, the god of loue, ypayed 

Hir wages and hir fees for hir seruyse ; 

And yet they wenen for to been ful wyse 

That semen loue, for aught that may bifalle. 18c, 

But this is yet the beste game of alle, 

That she for whom they han this Iolitee, 

Kan hem ther-fore as muche thank as me. 

She woot namoore of al this hoote fare, 

By God, than woot a cokkow or an hare. 1819 

" But all moot ben assayed, hoot and coold, 

A man moot ben a fool, or young or oold," — 

I woot it by myself ful yore agon ; 

For in my tyme a seruant was I oon. 

1787, 8. Gg H 4 obstakell, mirakell. 1788. Co H 4 of his m. 

1792. Hn H 4 e were. 1797- H 4 I-brought. 1798. Gg Pe this 

for that. 1799. H 4 if \\\zX for but if. 1800. e sitteb. 1802. Gg 
Pe H 4 hem payed. 1804. Hn to for for to; H 4 wenen they to ben 
wise. 181 1. Gg H 4 hot or c. 



^ 1815-1843] KNIGHTES TALE 65 

And therfore, syn I knowe of loues peyne, 1815 

And woot how soore it kan a man distreyne, 

As he that hath ben caught ofte in his laas 

I yow foryeue al hooly this trespaas, 

At requeste of the queene, that kneleth heere, 

And eek of Emelye, my suster deere. 1820 

And ye shul bothe anon vnto me swere, 

That neuere mo ye shal my contree dere, 

Ne make vverre vpon me nyght ne day, 

But been my freendes in al that ye may. 

I yow foryeue this trespas euery deel.' 1825 

And they him sworen his axyng, faire and weel, 

And hym of lordshipe and of mercy preyde ; 

And he hem graunteth grace, and thus he seyde : 

1 To speke of roial lynage and richesse, 
Though that she were a queene or a princesse, 1830 

Ech of you bothe is worthy, doutelees, 
To wedden whan tyme is. But nathelees 
I speke as for my suster Emelye, 
For whom ye haue this strif and Ialousye, 
Ye woot your self she may nat wedden two 1835 

At ones, though ye fighten eueremo. 
That oon of you, al be hym looth or lief, 
He moot go pipen in an yuy leef. 
This is to seyn, she may nat now han bothe, 
Al be ye neuer so Ialous ne so wrothe. 1840 

And for-thy, I yow putte in this degree, 
That ech of yow shal haue his destynee 
As hym is shape ; and herkneth in what wyse, 

1817. Gg Pe H 4 hath ofte be c. 1819. H 4 e at \>e r. 1822. H 4 
Co Ln corouneyfrr contree. 1823. Hn nor for ne. 1828. Gg H4 
grauntede; H 4 mercy for grace; Hn thanne for thus. 1832. El 
doutelees for but n. 1838. El omits go. 1839. H4 Co Ln omit 

now. 



66 KNIGHTES TALE [A 1844-1873 

Lo heere your ende of that I shal deuyse. 

' My wyl is this, for plat conclusioun 1845 

Withouten any repplicacioun — 
If that you liketh, take it for the beste : 
That euerich of you shal goon where hym leste 
Frely, withouten raunson or daunger ; 
And this day fifty wykes, fer ne ner, 1850 

Euerich of you shal brynge an hundred knyghtes 
Armed for lystes vp at alle rightes, 
Al redy to darreyne hire by bataille. 
And this bihote I yow with-outen faille 
Vpon my trouthe ; and as I am a knyght, 1855 

That wheither of yow bothe that hath myght, 
This is to seyn, that wheither, he or thow, 
May with his hundred as I spak of now 
Sleen his contrarie, or out of lystes dryue, 
Thanne shal I yeue Emelya to wyue i860 

To whom that Fortune yeueth so fair a grace. 
The lystes shal I maken in this place, 
And God so wisly on my soule rewe 
As I shal euene luge been and trewe. 
Ye shul noon oother ende with me maken 1865 

That oon of yow ne shal be deed or taken. 
And if yow thynketh this is weel ysayd, 
Seyeth youre auys and holdeth you apayd. 
This is youre ende and youre conclusioun.' 

Who looketh lightly now but Palamoun ? 1870 

Who spryngeth vp for Ioye but Arcite? 
Who kouthe telle, or who kouthe it endite, 
The Ioye that is maked in the place 

1852. e omits at. 1854. Co Ln biheete. i860. Co Ln That, 

H 4 H\mfor Thanne. 1866. Gg Co Pe H 4 omit ne. 1872. El Gg 
H4 omit it. l %73- Gg that is now schewid in the place. 



A 1874-1897] KNIGHTES TALE 67 

Whan Theseus hath doon so fair a grace ? 
But doun on knees wente euery maner wight 187$ 

And thonked hym with al hir herte and myght ; 
And namely the Thebans often sithe. 
And thus with good hope and with herte blithe 
They take hir leue, and homward gonne they ride 
To Thebes with hise olde walles wyde. 1880 

Explicit secunda pars. 

PART III 
Sequitur pars tertia. 

I trowe men wolde deme it necligence 
If I foryete to tellen the dispence 
Of Theseus, that gooth so bisily 
To maken vp the lystes roially, 

That swich a noble theatre as it was 1885 

I dar wel seyen in this world ther nas. 
The circuit a myle was aboute, 
Walled of stoon and dyched al withoute. 
Round was the shap in manereof compaas 
Ful of degrees the heighte of sixty pas, 1890 

That whan a man was set on o degree 
He letted nat his felawe for to see. 

Estward ther stood a gate of marbul whit, 
Westward right swich another in the opposit. 
And shortly to concluden, swich a place 1895 

Was noon in erthe as in so litel space ; 
For in the lond ther nas no crafty man 

1876. a thonken. 1880. All but El omit hise. (Perhaps Thebes- 
ward in original.} 1882. Ln foryate. 1886. Mss. seyn (Ln H4 
saye, say); H 4 }>atin. 1892. El lette Gglettyth; Ln let it. 1894. Co 
H4 omit the. 1896. Gg of, H4 in for as in; Hn Co Ln so lite a sp. 
1897. a was/0?- nas. 



68 KNIGHTES TALE [A 1898-1924 

That geometrie or ars-metrike kan, 

Ne portreiour, ne keruere of ymages, 

That Theseus ne yaf hym mete and wages 1900 

The theatre for to maken and deuyse. 

And for to doon his ryte and sacrifise, 

He estward hath, vpon the gate aboue, 

In worship of Venus, goddesse of loue, 

Doon make an auter and an oratorie ; 1905 

And on the westward, in mynde and in memorie 

Of Mars, he maked hath right swich another, 

That coste largely of gold a fother. 

And northward, in a touret on the wal, 

Of alabastre whit and reed coral , 1910 

An oratorie riche for to see 

In worship of Dyane of chastitee 

Hath Theseus doon wroght in noble wyse. 

But yit hadde I foryeten to deuyse 
The noble keruyng and the portreitures, 1915 

The shap, the contenaunce, and the figures 
That weren in thise oratories thre. 

First, in the temple of Venus maystow se 
Wroght on the wal, ful pitous to biholde, 
The broken slepes and the sikes colde, 1920 

The sacred teeris and the waymentynge, 
The firy strokes, of the desirynge 
That loues seruauntz in this lyf enduren ; 
The othes that her couenantz assuren ; 

1898. a Gg Ln ars metrik (cp. D 2222). 1899. El Gg portreitour. 
1900. a Ln omit hym; Gg hym ^i for ne y. hym; Co ne gain him; Pe 
ne gaue him; H4 ne *af hem. 1901. Pe Ln omit for. 1905. Hn 

maad. 1906. All but H4 And on (Co of, Ln in) the westward (Pe 
w. side) in memorie, H4 And w. in the mynde and in m. 1908. Gg 

of gold largely. 1909. Gg of for on. 1915. Co Ln peyntyng for 
keru.; Pe kervingges. 1919. H4 Co Ln in for on. 1 921. Gg 

secret terys. 1922. El H4 and the d. 



A 1925-1953] KNIGHTES TALE 69 

Plesaunce and Hope, Desir, Foolhardynesse, 1925 

Beautee and Youthe, Bauderie, Richesse, 
Charmes and Force, Lesynges, Flaterye, 
Despense, Bisynesse, and Ialousye 
That wered of yelewe gooldes a gerlond 
And a cokkow sittynge on hir hond ; 1930 

Festes instrumentz, caroles, daunces, 
Lust and array, and alle the circumstaunces 
Of loue whiche that I rekened and rekne shal, 
By ordre weren peynted on the vval, 
And mo than I kan make of mencioun. 1935 

For soothly al the mount of Citheroun, 
Ther Venus hath hir principal dvvellynge, 
Was shewed on the vval in portreyynge, 
With al the gardyn and the lustynesse. 
Nat was foryeten the porter Ydelnesse, 1940 

Ne Narcisus the faire of yore agon, 
Ne yet the folye of kyng Salamon, 
Ne yet the grete strengthe of Ercules, 
Thenchauntementz of Medea and Circes, 
Ne of Turnus, with the hardy flers corage, 1945 

The nche Cresus, kaytyf in seruage. 
Thus may ye seen that Wysdom ne Richesse, 
Beautee ne Sleighte, Strengthe ne Hardynesse, 
Ne may with Venus holde champartie, 
For as hir list the world than may she gye. 1950 

Lo, alle thise folk so caught were in hir las 
'Til they for wo ful ofte seyde, ' Alias ! ' 
Suffiseth heere ensamples oon or two, 

1927. H4 sorcery for force; Gg lesynge; Gg Pe H4 les. and fl. 
x 933- H4 Pe omit that; Co Ln omit I; El rekned haue, Gg reken for 
rekened. 1942. El Gg And for Ne. 1943- El Gg And eek 

for Ne yet. 1948. a Pe omit 2d ne ; Ln B. ne strengebe ne sleiht 
ne h. 1949. Hn maken ch. 



70 KNIGHTES TALE [A 1954- 1982 

And though I koude rekene a thousand mo. 

The statue of Venus glorious for to se 1955 

Was naked, fletynge in the large see, 
And fro the nauele doun al couered was 
With wavves grene and brighte as any glas. 
A citole in hir right hand hadde she, 
And on hir heed, ful semely for to se, i960 

A rose gerland, fressh and wel smellynge. 
Aboue hir heed hir dowues flikerynge ; 
Biforn hir stood hir sone Cupido, 
Vpon his shuldres wynges hadde he two, 
And blind he was, as it is often seene ; 1965 

A bowe he bar and arwes brighte and kene. 

Why sholde I noght as wel eek telle yow al 
The portreiture that was vpon the wal 
Withinne the temple of myghty Mars the rede? 
Al peynted was the wal in lengthe and brede 1970 

Lyk to the estres of the grisly place 
That highte the grete temple of Mars in Trace, 
In thilke colde frosty regioun 
Ther as Mars hath his souereyn mansioun. 

First on the wal was peynted a forest, 1975 

In which ther dwelleth neither man nor best, 
With knotty, knarry, bareyne trees olde 
Of stubbes sharpe and hidouse to biholde ; 
In which ther ran a rumble in a swough 
As though a storm sholde bresten euery bough. 1980 

And doun ward from an hille, vnder a bente, 
Ther stood the temple of Mars armypotente 

1956. Gg maked, Ln made, Co inakedy^r naked. 1958- Gg which 
was for with w. 1964. e wenges. 1966. H4 arwes faire and greene. 
1967. Gg H4 omit eek. 1969. Gg wal for temple. 1976. Co Ln 

dwelled; Pe wonneK J 979- El And a sw.; Pe ber was a rombled 

and a sw. ; H4 as wymb\i\ for a r. 1981. Hn H4 on for from. 



-4 1 983-201 1] KNIGHTES TALE ?l 

Wroght al of burned steel, of which the entree 

Was long and streit, and gastly for to see. 

And ther out came a rage, and such a veze 1985 

That it made al the gate for to rese. 

The northren lyght in at the dores shoon, 

For wyndowe on the wal ne was ther noon 

Thurgh which men myghten any light discerne ; 

The dore was al of adamant eterne, 1990 

Y-clenched ouerthwart and endelong 

With iren tough ; and for to make it strong, 

Euery pyler, the temple to sustene, 

Was tonne greet of iren bright and shene. 

Ther saugh I first the derke ymaginyng 1995 

Of Felonye, and al the compassyng ; 
The crueel Ire, reed as any gleede, 
The pykepurs, and eke the pale Drede, 
The smyler with the knyfe vnder the cloke, 
The shepne brennynge with the'blake smoke, 2000 

The tresoun of the mordrynge in the bedde, 
The Open W^erre with woundes al bibledde, 
Contek with blody knyf and sharp manace. 
Al ful of chirkyng was that sory place. 

The sleer of hymself yet saugh I ther, 2005 

His herte blood hath bathed al his heer ; 
The nayl ydryuen in the shode anyght, 
The colde Deeth with mouth gapyng vpright. 
Amyddes of the temple sat Meschaunce, 
With disconfort and sory countenaunce. 2010 

Yet saugh I Woodnesse laughynge in his rage, 

1985. Gg in swich a wese; Pe. in such a wise; H4 of suche aprise. 
1986. H 4 e gates; H 4 rise for rese, 1990. Gg Co Ln H 4 dores 

were; H 4 all ademauntz. 1996. El Gg omit al. 1997. Ln H 4 

as rede as. 1998. El Gg omit eke. 2003. H 4 kuttud/^r contek. 
2004. Co Ln shrikyng. 



72 KNIGHTES TALE [^2012-2038 

Armed Compleint, Out-Hees, and fiers Outrage ; 

The careyne in the busk with throte ycorue \ 

A thousand slayn and nat of qualm ystorue ; 

The tiraunt with the pray by force yraft, 2015 

The toun destroyed, ther was no thyng laft. 

Yet saugh I brent the shippes hoppesteres, 
The hunte strangled with the wilde beres, 
The sowe freten the child right in the cradel, 
The cook yscalded for al his longe ladel, — 2020 

Noght was foryeten : by the infortune of Marte 
The cartere ouerryden with his carte, 
Vnder the wheel ful lowe he lay adoun. 
Ther were also of Martes diuisioun, 
The barbour and the bocher, and the smyth 2025 

That forgeth sharpe swerdes on his styth. 
And al aboue, depeynted in a tour, 
Saugh I Conquest sittynge in greet honour 
With the sharpe swerd ouer his heed 
Hangynge by a sou til twynes threed. 2030 

Depeynted was the slaughtre of Iulius, 
Of grete Nero, and of Antonius ; 
Al be that thilke tyme they were vnborn, 
Yet was hir deth depeynted ther-biforn 
By manasynge of Mars, right by figure ; 2035 

So it was shewed in that portreiture, 
As is depeynted in the sterres aboue 
Who shal be slayn or elles deed for loue ; 

2012-2017. H4 omits these verses. 2015. Co w. his pr. his f. 

thraste; Ln w. pr. be for J^rafte. 2017. Gg hospesterys. 2018. Co 
breeres, H4 bores corage {Jo rhyme with rage in 201 1) for beres. 
2019. Pe Ln fretinge. 2026. Gg Pe on the s. (Gg steyth). 

2027. Gg al aboute. 2028. Co omits sittynge; Ln sit. 2030. Gg 
Co Pe twyned; Ln H4 twine. 2033. Gg H4 e (exc. Pe) that ilke. 

2037. El Certres; Hn Sertres; Gg Co Ln sertres; Pe certres (cf B 
190-203). 



,42039-2067] KNIGHTES TALE 73 

Suffiseth oon ensample in stories olde, 

I may nat rekene hem alle though I wolde. 2040 

The statue of Mars upon a carte stood 
Armed, and looked grym as he were wood ; 
And ouer his heed ther shynen two figures 
Of sterres that been cleped in scriptures 
That oon Puella, that oother Rubeus. 2045 

This god of armes was arrayed thus : 
A wolf ther stood biforn hym at his feet 
With eyen rede, and of a man he eet. 
With soutil pencel was depeynted this storie 
In redoutynge of Mars and of his glorie. 2050 

Now to the temple of Dyane the chaste, 
As shortly as I kan I wol me haste, 
To telle yow al the descripsioun. 
Depeynted been the walles vp and doun 
Of huntyng and of shamefast chastitee. 2055 

Ther saugh I how woful Calistopee, 
Whan that Diane agreued was with here, 
Was turned from a womman til a bere, 
And after was she maad the loode sterre ; 
Thus was it peynted, I kan sey yow no ferre. 2060 

Hir sone is eek a sterre, as men may see. 
Ther saugh I Dane, y-turned til a tree, — 
I mene nat the goddesse Diane, 
But Penneus doughter which that highte Dane. 
Ther saugh I Attheon an hert y-maked 2065 

For vengeaunce that he saugh Diane al naked ; 
I saugh how that his houndes haue hym caught 

2040. H4 omits, leaving space for it; Gg omits alle. 2044. Co 
Ln closed for cleped. 2054. Pe was for ben; Gg Pe walle. 

TO w 6. Ln Caliste. 2058. El H 4 Pe Ln to for til. 2060. e she 

for it; Gg That shynyth in the hevyn from yow so ferre in later 
hand. 2062. H4 e turned; Hn Pe to a tr. 



74 KNIGHTES TALE [A 2068-2096 

And freeten hym, for that they knevve hym naught. 

Yet peynted was a litel forther moor 
How Atthalante hunted the wilde boor, 2070 

And Meleagree, and many another mo, 
For which Dyane wroghte hym care and wo. 
Ther saugh I many another wonder storie, 
The whiche me list nat drawen to memorie. 

This goddesse on an hert ful hye seet, 2075 

With smale houndes al aboute hir feet, 
And vndernethe hir feet she hadde a moone, 
Wexynge it was, and sholde wanye soone. 
In gaude grene hir statue clothed was, 
With bo we in honde and arwes in a cas ; - 2080 

Hir eyen caste she ful low adoun 
Ther Pluto hath his derke regioun. 
A womman trauaillynge was hir biforn ; 
But for hir child so longe was vnborn, 
Ful pitously Lucyna gan she calle, 2085 

And seyde, ' Help, for thou mayst best of alle.' 
Wei koude he peynten lifly that it wroghte, 
With many a floryn he the hewes boghte. 

Now been thise lystes maad, and Theseus, 
That at his grete cost arrayed thus 2090 

The temples and the theatre euery deel, 
Whan it was doon hym lyked wonder weel ; 
But stynte I wole of Theseus a lite, 
And speke of Palamon and of Arcite. 

The day approcheth of hir retournynge, 2095 

That euerich sholde an hundred knyghtes brynge, 



2069. a yit; H4 e ypeynted; El omits was. 2073. H4 saugh I 

eek; Co H4 omit wonder, Pe wor)>i. 2084. ? e Ln was so longe. 

2089. El the 1. 2091. Gg Pe temple. 2092. H4 Gg Ln it liked 
him; H4 right w. 2094. Gg Pe omit 2d of. 



/4 2097-2125] KNIGHTES TALE 75 

The bataille to darreyne, as I yow tolde. 

And til Atthenes, hir couenantz for to holde, 

Hath euerich of hem broght an hundred knyghtes 

Wei armed for the werre at alle rightes. 2100 

And sikerly ther trowed many a man 

That neuer sithen that the world bigan, 

As for to speke of knyghthod, of hir hond, 

As fer as God hath maked see or lond 

Nas, of so fewe, so noble a compaignye. 2105 

For euery wight that loued chiualrye 

And wolde his thankes han a passant name, 

Hath preyd that he myghte been of that game. 

And wel was hym that ther-to chosen was ; 

For if ther fille tomorwe swich a caas, 21 10 

Ye knowen wel that euery lusty knyght 

That loueth paramours and hath his myght, 

Were it in Engelond or elles-where, 

They wolde hir thankes wilnen to be there, 

To fighte for a lady — bene did tee, 21 15 

It were a lusty sighte for to see ! 

And right so ferden they with Palamon, 

With hym ther wenten knyghtes many oon. 

Som wol ben armed in an haubergeoun, 

And in a brestplate and in a light gypoun ; 2120 

And som wol haue a paire plates large ; 

And som wol haue a Pruce sheeld or a targe ; 

Som wol ben armed on his legges weel, 

And haue an ax, and som a mace of steel — 

Ther is no newe gyse that it nas old. 2125 



2099. H 4 Pe euery. 2106. GgEllouede; H 4 loueJ>. 2108. Gg 
H4 Co preyed. 2120. El H4 omits And; Pe omits both in'j; H4 

a bright br. and omits 2d in. 2121, 2122,2123. El somme woln. 

2123. El H4 hir legges, 2124. El somme. 



?6 KNIGHTES TALE 0*2126-2154 

Armed were they, as I haue yow told, 
Euerych after his opinion. 

Ther maistow seen comynge with Palamon 
Lygurge hymself, the grete kyng of Trace. 
Blak was his berd, and manly was his face ; 2130 

The cercles of hise eyen in his heed, 
They gloweden bitwyxen yelpw and reed, 
And lik a grifphon looked he aboute 
With kempe heeris on his browes stoute ; 
His lymes grete, his brawnes harde and stronge, 2135 
His shuldres brode, his armes rounde and longe ; 
And, as the gyse was in his contree, 
Ful hye vpon a chaar of gold stood he, 
With foure white boles in the trays. 
In stede of cote-armure ouer his harnays, 2140 

With nayles yelwe and brighte as any gold 
He hadde a beres skyn, col-blak, for-old. 
His longe heer was kembd bihynde his bak ; 
As any rauenes fethere it shoon for-blak ; 
A wrethe of golde, arm-greet, of huge wighte, 2145 

Vpon his heed, set ful of stones brighte, 
Of fyne rubyes and of dyamauntz. 
Aboute his chaar ther wenten white alauntz 
Twenty and mo, as grete as any steer, 
To hunten at the leoun or the deer, . 2150 

And folwed hym with mosel faste y-bounde, 
Colered of gold and tourettes fyled rounde. 
An hundred lordes hadde he in his route, 
Armed ful vvel, with hertes stierne and stoute. 



2I 35- Gg grete and s; Pe omits harde and. 2138. he in later 
hand in El. 2041. El yelewe; e yelowe. 2145. Hn omits arm. 

2146. Hn and/or set. 2150. E\ repeats or. 2152. e colers.. 



^2155-2183] KN1GHTES TALE J J 

With Arcita, in stories as men fynde, 2155 

The grete Emetreus, the kyng of Inde, 
Vpon a steede bay trapped in steel, 
Couered in clooth of gold, dyapred weel, 
Cam ridynge lyk the god of armes, Mars. 
His cote-armure was of clooth of Tars 2160 

Couched with perles, white and rounde and grete ; 
His sadel was of brend gold newe y-bete ; 
A mantelet vpon his shulder hangynge, 
Bret-ful of rubyes rede as fyr sparklynge ; 
His crispe heer, lyk rynges was y-ronne, 2165 

And that was yelow and glytered as the sonne. 
His nose was heigh, his even bright citrvn, 
His lippes rounde, his colour was sangwyn ; 
A fewe frakenes in his face y-spreynd, 
Bitwixen yelow and somdel blak y-meynd ; 2170 

And as a leoun he his lookyng caste. 
Of fyue and twenty yeer his age I caste, 
His berd was wel bigonne for to sprynge ; 
His voys was as a trompe thonderynge ; 
Vpon his heed he wered of laurer grene, 2175 

A gerland, fressh and lusty for to sene. 
Vpon his hand he bar for his deduyt 
An egle tame, as any lilye whyt. 
An hundred lordes hadde he with hym there, 
Al armed saue hir heddes in al hir gere, 21S0 

Ful richely in alle maner thynges. 
For trusteth wel that dukes, erles, kynges, 
Were gadered in this noble compaignye 



2155. El Arcite. 2159. Gg Co Pe come. 2162. Gg H4 bete. 

2163. El Gg Pe Mantel. " 2164. El Brat ful. 2166. H 4 e 

gliteryng. 2174. El thondrynge. 2175. Gg Co Pe H4 a laurer. 

2176. Gg Pe garlond Co Ln garland. 2177. Pe H4 deYite for deduyt. 



78 KNIGHTES TALE [^2184-2213 

For loue, and for encrees of chiualrye. 

Aboute this kyng ther ran on euery part 2185 

Ful many a tame leoun and leopart. 

And in this wise these lordes alle and some 

Been on the Sonday to the citee come 

Aboute pryme and in the toun alight. 

This Theseus, this due, this worthy knyght, 2190 

Whan he had broght hem into his citee 
And inned hem, euerich at his degree, 
He festeth hem, and dooth so greet labour 
To esen hem and doon hem al honour, 
That yet men wenen that no mannes wit 2195 

Of noon estaat ne koude amenden it. 

The mynstralcye, the seruice at the feeste, 
The grete yiftes to the meeste and leeste, 
The riche array of Theseus paleys, 
Ne who sat first ne last vpon the deys, 2200 

What ladyes fairest been or best daunsynge, 
Or which of hem kan dauncen best or synge, 
Ne who moost felyngly speketh of loue ; 
What haukes sitten on the perche aboue, 
What houndes liggen in the floor adoun, — 2205 

Of al this make I now no mencioun, 
But al theffect, that thynketh me the beste. 
Now cometh the point, and herkneth if yow leste. 

The Sonday nyght er day bigan to sprynge, 
Whan Palamon the larke herde synge, 2210 

(Al though it nere nat day by houres two, 
Yet song the larke, and Palamon also) 
With hooly herte and with an heigh corage 

2186. El Gg leopard. 2192. El in his deg. 2195. El Co Ln 

weneth; El no maner w. 2201. Hn and best d. 2002. a best 

and s. 2205. Hn e on the floor. 2212. Hn e right \>o for also. 



.42214-2242] KNIGHTES TALE 79 

He roos to wenden on his pilgrymage 

Vnto the blisful Citherea benigne, — 2215 

I mene Venus honurable and digne. 

And in hir houre he vvalketh forth a paas 

Vnto the lystes, ther hire temple was ; 

And doun he kneleth and with humble cheere 

And herte soor, and seyde as ye shal heere. 2220 

i Fairest of faire, o lady myn, Venus, 
Doughter to Ioue, and spouse of Vulcanus, 
Thow glader of the mount of Citheron, 
For thilke loue thow haddest to Adoon, 
Haue pitee of my bittre teeris smerte, 2225 

And taak myn humble preyere at thyn herte. 
Alias ! I ne haue no langage to telle 
Theffectes ne the tormentz of myn helle ; 
Myn herte may myne harmes nat biwreye ; 
I am so confus that I kan noght seye. 2230 

But mercy, lady bright, that knowest weele 
My thought and seest what harmes that I feele, 
Considere al this and rewe vpon my soore 
As wisly as I shal for euermoore 

Emforth my myght thy trewe seruant be, 2235 

And holden werre alwey with chastitee ; 
That make I myn avow, so ye me helpe. 
I kepe noght of armes for to yelpe, 
Ne I ne axe nat tomorwe to haue victorie, 
Ne renoun in this cas, ne veyne glorie 2240 

Of pris of armes blowen vp and doun ; 
But I wolde haue fully possessioun 



2215. Gg Pe H 4 Cythera. 2219. El with ful for and with. 

2222. Hn H4 of Ioue ; Hn e H4 to Vul. 222S. e torment. 

2239. II4 Ne nat I aske to morn, etc. 2241. H4 blowyng. 



80 KNIGHTES TALE [^2243-2272 

Of Emelye, and dye in thy seruyse. 

Fynd thow the manere how, and in what wyse ; 

I recche nat but it may bettre be 2245 

To haue victorie of hem or they of me, 

So that I haue my lady in myne amies. 

For though so be that Mars is god of amies, 

Youre vertu is so greet in heuene aboue 

That if yow list I shal wel haue my loue. 2250 

Thy temple wol I worshipe eueremo, 

And on thyn auter, wher I ride or go, 

I wol doon sacrifice and fires beete. 

And if ye wol nat so, my lady sweete, 

Thanne preye I thee, tomorwe with a spere 2255 

That Arcita me thurgh the herte bere ; 

Thanne rekke I noght, whan I haue lost my lyf, 

Though that Arcita wynne hir to his wyf. 

This is theffect and ende of my preyere : 

Yif me my loue, thow blisful lady deere.' 2260 

Whan the orison was doon of Palamon, 
His sacrifice he dide, and that anon, 
Ful pitously with alle circumstaunces, 
Al telle I noght as now his obseruaunces \ 
But atte laste the statue of Venus shook 2265 

And made a signe, wher-by that he took 
That his preyere accepted was that day. 
For thogh the signe shewed a delay, 
Yet wiste he wel that graunted was his boone ; 
And with glad herte he wente hym hoom ful soone. 2270 

The thridde houre in-equal that Palamon 
Bigan to Venus temple for to go 11, 

2243. Pe her, Ln his for thy. H4 omits 2250 and inserts And }e 
be Venus J?e goddes of loue before 2249. 2250. Gg fc>u, Pe \>efor 

yow. 2263. El Gg circumstaunce. 2264. El Gg obseruaunce. 



/* 2273-2300] KNIGHTES TALE 8 1 

Vp roos the sonne and vp roos Emelye, 

And to the temple of Dyane gan hye. 

Hir maydens that she thider with hir ladde 2275 

Fill redily with hem the fyr they hadde, 

Thencens, the clothes, and the remenant al 

That to the sacrifice longen shal ; 

The homes mile of meeth, as was the gyse, 

Ther lakked noght to doon hir sacrifise. 2280 

Smokynge the temple, ful of clothes faire, 
This Emelye, with herte debonaire, 
Hir body wessh with water of a welle. 
But hou she dide hir ryte I dar nat telle, 
But it be any thing in general ; 2285 

And yet it were a game to heeren al. 
To hym that meneth wel it were no charge, 
But it is good a man been at his large. 

Hir brighte heer was kempd vntressed al, 
A coroune of a grene 00k cerial 2290 

Vpon hir heed was set, ful faire and meete. 
Two fyres on the auter gan she beete, 
And dide hir thynges, as men may biholde 
In Stace of Thebes, and thise bookes olde. 
Whan kynclled was the fyr, with pitous cheere 2295 

Vnto Dyane she spak as ye may heere : — 

' O chaste goddesse of the wodes grene, 
To whom bothe heuene and erthe and see is sene, 
Queene of the regne of Pluto derk and lowe, 
Goddesse of maydens that myn herte hast knowe 2300 



• 2274. Pe H4 gan she hye. 2275. Co Ln omit she. 2276. Gg 

the f. w. h. they; El ladde for hadde. 2279. Hn mede; Co 

mete. 2283. Co Ln omit wessh. 2285. Gg But ^if. 2286. H4 

here it al. 2289. Hn kembed; Ln vnkembed. 2294. Hn othere, 
H4 \><z for thise. 



82 KNIGHTES TALE [>/ 2301-2329 

Ful many a yeer and woost what I desire, 

As keep me fro thy vengeaunce and thyn ire, 

That Attheon aboughte cruelly. 

Chaste goddesse, wel wostovv that I 

Desire to ben a mayden al my lyf, 2305 

Ne neuere wol I be no loue, ne wyf. 

I am, thow woost, yet of thy compaignye, 

A mayde, aid loue huntynge and venerye, 

And for to walken in the wodes wilde, 

And noght to ben a wyf and be with childe ; 2310 

Noght wol I knowe compaignye of man. 

Now help me, lady, sith ye may and kan 

For tho thre formes that thou hast in thee. 

And Palamon, that hath swich loue to me, 

And eek Arcite, that loueth me so soore, 2315 

(This grace I preye thee withoute moore) 

As sende loue and pees bitwixe hem two ; 

And fro me turne awey hir hertes so 

That al hir hoote loue and hir desir, 

And al hir bisy torment and hir fir, 2320 

Be queynt, or turned in another place. 

And if so be thou wolt noght do me grace, 

Or if my destynee be shapen so 

That I shal nedes haue oon of hem two, 

As sende me hym that moost desireth me. 2325 

Bihoold, goddesse of clene chastitee, 

The bittre teeris that on my chekes falle. 

Syn thou art mayde, and kepere of vs alle, 

My maydenhede thou kepe and wel conserue 

2301. H4 ^e woot for and w. 2302. H4 >e v. of \>\\k yre. 

2303. H 4 trewely for cruelly. 231 1. El H 4 the c. 2316. Co Ln 

:ow for thee. 2317. All but Hn Andfor As; Hn seend. 2322. El 
Pe H 4 wolt do me no gr. 2323. El Andfor Or. 2325. H4 So for 
As; Hn seend. 



,42330-2358] KNIGHTES TALE 83 

And whil I lyue a mayde I wol thee seme.' 2330 

The fires brenne vp on the auter cleere 

Whil Emelye was thus in hir preyere. 

But sodeynly she saugh a sighte queynte, 

For right anon oon of the fyres queynte 

And quyked agayn, and after that anon 2335 

That oother fyr was queynt and al agon. 

And as it queynte it made a whistelynge, 

As doon thise wete brondes in hir brennynge ; 

And at the brondes ende outran anon 

As it were blody dropes many oon. 2340 

For which so soore agast was Emelye 

That she was wel ny mad, and gan to crye ; 

For she ne wiste what it signyfied, 

But oonly for the feere thus hath she cried, 

And weep that it was pitee for to heer.e. 23^5 

And ther-with-al Dyane gan appeere, 

With bowe in honde, right as an hunteresse, 

And seyde, ' Doghter, stynt thyn heuynesse. 

Among the goddes hye it is affermed, 

And by eterne word writen and confermed, 2350 

Thou shalt ben wedded vnto oon of tho 

That han for thee so muchel care and wo ; 

But vnto which of hem I may nat telle. 

Farwel, for I ne may no lenger dwelle. 

The fires which that on myn auter brenne 2355 

Shul thee declaren, er that thou go henne, 

Thyn auenture of loue as in this cas.' 

And with that word the arwes in the caas 



2330. Co Ln ^om for thee. 2332. Hn is thus; H4 omits thus. 

2337. a Co whistlynge. 2342. Co ful ny; Ln was ny; H4 sche 

wel neih mad was. 2344. Pe fire bus she; H4 feere bus she. 

2355. El whiche. 2356. El shulle. 



84 KKIGHTES TALE [A 2359-2389 

Of the goddesse clateren faste and rynge, 

And forth she vvente and made a vanysshynge. 2360 

For which this Emelye astoned was, 

And seyde, i What amounteth this, alias? 

I putte me in thy proteccioun, 

Dyane, and in thy disposicioun. , 

And hoom she goth anon the nexte weye. 2365 

This is theffect, ther nys namoore to seye. 

The nexte houre of Mars folwynge this, 
Arcite vnto the temple walked is 
Of fierse Mars, to doon his sacrifise 
With alle the rytes of his payen wyse. 2370 

With pitous herte and heigh deuocioun 
Right thus to Mars he seyde his orisoun : 

' O stronge god, that in the regnes colde 
Of Trace honoured art and lord y-holde, 
And hast in euery regne and euery lond 2375 

Of armes al the brydel in thyn hond, 
And hem fortunest as thee lyst deuyse, 
Accepte of me my pitous sacrifise. 
If so be that my youthe may deserue, 
And that my myght be worthy for to serue 2380 

Thy godhede, that I may been oon of thyne, 
Thanne preye I thee to rewe vpon my pyne. 
For thilke peyne, and thilke hoote fir 
In which thou whilom brendest for desir, 
Whan that thou vsedest the beautee 2385 

Of faire, yonge, fresshe Venus free 
And haddest hir in armes at thy wille 
(Al-though thee ones on a tyme mysfille, 
Whan Vulcanus hadde caught thee in his las, 

2366. El Cm Pe Ln is for nys. 2380. Co Ln I for my. 

2383. Pe H 4 that hote f. 2384. Pe J>ou br. wh. 



^2390-2418] KNIGHTES TALE 85 

And foond thee liggynge by his wyf, alias !) — 2390 

For thilke sorwe that was in thyn herte, 

Haue routhe as wel vpon my peynes smerte. 

I am yong and vnkonnynge, as thovv woost, 

And as I trowe with loue offended moost 

That euere was any lyues creature ; 2395 

For she that dooth me al this wo endure 

Ne reccheth neuer wher I synke or fleete. 

And wel I woot, er she me mercy heete, 

I moot with strengthe wynne hir in the place ; 

And wel I woot withouten helpe or grace 2400 

Of thee, ne may my strengthe noght auaille. 

Thanne help, me, lord, tomorwe in my bataille, 

For thilke fyr that whilom brente thee, 

As well as thilke fyr now brenneth me, 

And do that I tomorwe haue victorie. 2405 

Myn be the trauaille, and thyn be the glorie ! 

Thy souereyn temple wol I moost honouren 

Of any place, and alwey moost labouren 

In thy plesaunce, and in thy craftes stronge ; 

And in thy temple I wol my baner honge 2410 

And alle the armes of my compaignye, 

And euer mo, vnto that day I dye, 

Eterne fir I wol bifore thee fynde. 

And eek to this auow I wol me bynde : 

My beerd, myn heer, that hongeth long adoun, 2415 

That neuere yet ne felte offensioun 

Of rasour nor of shere, I wol thee yiue, 

And ben thy trewe seruant whil I lyue. 

2400. Hn h. and gr. 2402. Ln H4 to morn (so, too, i7i v. 2403). 
2405. Hn may haue. 2412. Hn Ln vntil, Co vnto til for vnto. 

2413. El biforn. 2415. Pe lorde for berd, Ln omits ; Hn Gg H. t 

hangeth; Co longeth. 2417. El Gg Pe Ln yeue. 2418. Gg Ln 

leue. 



86 KNIGHTES TALE [^2419-2446 

Now, lord, haue routhe vpon my sorwes soore, 

Yif me the victorie, I aske thee namoore ! ' 2420 

The preyere stynt of Arcita the stronge, 
The rynges on the temple dore that honge, 
And eek the dores, clatereden ful faste, 
Of which Arcita som-what hym agaste. 
The fyres brende vp on the auter brighte, 2425 

That it gan al the temple for to lighte ; 
A sweete smel anon the ground vp yaf, 
And Arcita anon his hond vp haf, 
And moore encens into the fyr he caste, 
With othere rytes mo. And atte laste 2430 

The statue of Mars bigan his hauberkjynge ; 
And with that soun he herde a murmurynge 
Ful lowe and dym, and seyde thus : ' Victorie ! ' 
For which he yaf to Mars honour and glone. 
And thus with ioye and hope wel to fare 2435 

Arcite anon vnto his inne is fare, 
As fayn as fowel is of the brighte sonne. 

And right anon swich strif ther is bigonne 
For thilke grauntyng in the heuene aboue, 
Bitwixe Venus, the goddesse of loue, 2440 

And Mars, the stierne god armypotente, 
That Iuppiter was bisy it to stente ; 
Til that the pale Saturnus the colde, 
That knew so manye of auentures olde, 
Foond in his olde experience an art 2445 

That he ful soone hath plesed euery part. 

2420. H 4 by v.; H4 omits thee. 2423. Co Pe clateren. 

2425. Co vp be; H4 br. on the. 2427. El e And for A. 

2427. El Co Ln anon after ground. 2428. a hand. 

2432. Co Ln be soun. 2433. Gg e bat seyde. 2438. Gg bere 

is sw. s. b. ; H4 e omit ther; Ln Frissche for sw. 2445. Pe bolde 

for olde, H4 omits ; El and art; Pe and & art. 



,4 2447- 2 475] KN1GHTES TALE 87 

As sooth is seyd, elde hath greet auantage ; 

In elde is bothe wysdom and vsage \ 

' Men may the olde at-renne and noght at-rede.' 

Saturne anon to stynten strif and drede, 2450 

Al be it that it is agayn his kynde, 

Of al this strif he gan remedie fynde. 

' My deere doghter Venus/ quod Saturne, 
' My cours, that hath so wyde for to turne, 
Hath moore power than woot any man. 2455 

Myn is the drenchyng in the see so wan, 
Myn is the prison in the derke cote, 
Myn is the stranglyng and hangyng by the throte, 
The murmure and the cherles rebellyng, 
The groynynge and the pryuee empoysonyng ; 2460 

I do vengeance and pleyn correccioun ; 
Whil I dwelle in the signe of the leoun, 
Myn is the ruyne of the hye halles, 
The fallynge of the toures and of the walles 
Vpon the mynour or the carpenter ; 2465 

I slow Sampsoun, shakynge the piler ; 
And myne be the maladyes colde, 
The derke tresons and the castes olde ; 
My lookyng is the fader of pestilence. 
Now weep namoore, I shal doon diligence 2470 

That Palamon, that is thyn owene knyght, 
Shal haue his lady, as thou hast him night. 
Though Mars shal helpe his knyght, yet nathelees 
Bitwixe yow ther moot be som tyme pees, 
Al be ye noght of o compleccioun, 2475 

2447. Co Ln A, Pe H 4 Andyfrr As. 2449. P e ^U but for and. 

2452. Hn Pe H4 ka.n for gan. 2458. Co Ln strangle. 2459. Gg 

cherle. 2460. Co Ln emprisonynge for empoy. 2462. El 

in signe. 2465. Co Ln and the c. 2466. H4 in shakyng. 

2472. Co Ln H4 omit hast; Co H4 bihight. 2475. Co Ln bol?e of. 



88 KNIGHTES TALE [A 2476-2499 

That causeth al day swich diuisioun. 
I am thyn aiel, redy at thy wille ; 
Weep now namoore, I wol thy lust fulfilled 
Now wol I stynten of the goddes aboue, 
Of Mars, and of Venus, goddesse of loue, 2480 

And telle yow as pleynly as I kan 
The grete effect for which that I bygan. 

Explicit tertia pars. 

PART IV 

Sequitur pars quarta. 

Greet was the feeste in Atthenes that day ; 
And eek the lusty seson of that May 
Made euery wight to been in such plesaunce, 2485 

That al that Monday Iusten they and daunce, 
And spenden it in Venus heigh seruyse. 
But by the cause that they sholde ryse 
Eerly for to seen the grete fight, 

Vnto hir reste wenten they at nyght. 2490 

And on the morwe whan that day gan sprynge, 
Of hors and harneys noyse and claterynge 
Ther was in hostelryes al aboute ; 
And to the paleys rood ther many a route 
Of lordes, vpon steedes and palfreys. 2495 

Ther maystow seen deuisynge of harneys 
So vnkouth and so riche, and wrought so weel 
Of goldsmythrye, of browdynge, and of steel, 
The sheeldes brighte, testeres, and trappures ; 

2478. H 4 hou for now. 2484. H 4 e bat lusty. 2487. El 

spenten ; Co Ln heigh verms ser. 2489. Hn grete sight; H4 erly a 

morwe for to see bat hght. 2491. Hn Ln H4 \>e for \>2X. 2493. El 
in the h. 2496. El e diuisynge. 



A 2500-2528] KNIGHTES TALE 89 

Gold-hewen helmes, hauberkes, cote-armures ; 2500 

Lordes in paramentz on hir courseres ; 

Knyghtes of retenue, and eek squieres 

Nailynge the speres, and helmes bokelynge, 

Giggynge of sheeldes with layneres lacynge ; 

There as nede is they were no thyng ydel. 2505 

The fomy steedes on the golden brydel 

Gnawynge, and faste the armurers also 

With fyle and hamer prikynge to and fro ; 

Yemen on foote, and communes many oon 

With shorte staues, thikke as they may goon ; 2510 

Pypes, trompes, nakers, clariounes, 

That in the bataille blowen blody sounes ; 

The paleys ful of peples vp and doun, 

Heer thre, ther ten, holdynge hir questioun, 

Dyuynynge of thise Thebane knyghtes two. 2515 

Somme seyden thus, somme seyde it shal be so, 

Somme helden with hym with the blake berd, 

Somme with the balled, somme with the thikke herd, 

Some seyde he looked grymme, and he wolde fighte, 

He hath a sparth of twenty pound of wighte ; 2520 

Thus was the halle ful of diuynynge 

Longe after that the sonne gan to sprynge. 

The grete Theseus, that of his sleep awaked 
With mynstralcie and noyse that was maked, 
Heeld yet the chambre of his paleys riche, 2525 

Til that the Thebane knyghtes, bothe y-liche 
Honoured, weren into the paleys fet. 
Due Theseus was at a wyndow set, 



2509. Co Ln yomen, Gg Thanneyftr Y.; Gg omi/s and. 2510. Gg 
H4 as th. as. 251 1. H 4 Pe na. and cl. 2512. Pe Ln H4 blewe. 

2513. Pe Ln H 4 peple. 2515. Hn Pe H 4 Thebans. 2517. Co 

Ln holden. 2525. Hn Co Ln chambres. 2527. El Honured. 



90 KNIGHTES TALE [A 2529-2555 

Arrayed right as he were a god in trone. 

The peple preeseth thidervvard ful soone 2530 

Hym for to seen, and doon heigh reuerence, 

And eek to herkne his heste and his sentence. 

An heraud on a scaffold made an ' Oo ! ' 

Til al the noyse of the peple was y-do ; 

And whan he saugh the peple of noyse al stille, 2535 

Tho shewed he the myghty dukes wille : — 

1 The lord hath of his heih discrecioun 
Considered that it were destruccioun 
To gentil blood to fighten in the gyse 
Of mortal bataille now in this emprise ; 2540 

Wherfore, to shapen that they shal nat dye, 
He wole his firste purpos modifye. 

1 No man ther-fore, vp peyne of los of lyf, 
No maner shot, ne polax, ne short knyf, 
Into the lystes sende, or thider brynge ; 2545 

Ne short swerd, for to stoke with poynt bitynge, 
No man ne drawe, ne bere it by his syde. 
Ne no man shal vnto his felawe ryde 
But o cours with a sharp y-grounde spere ; 
Foyne, if hym list, on foote, hym self to were. 2550 

And he that is at meschief shal be take, 
And noght slayn, but be broght vnto the stake 
That shal ben ordeyned on either syde ; 
But thider he shal by force, and there abyde. 

' And if so falle the cheuyntein be take 2555 

2530. Gg e presed. 2531. Pe done him h. r. ; H4 doon him r. 

2534. El of peple. 2535. El Gg noyse of peple. 2537. Hn Pe 
Ln heighe. 2539. II 4 e \>'\s for the; H4 wise/0;' gise. 2542. El 

wolde. 2543. Hn Co Ln vpon p.; Co En p. of (Ln on) his lyf. 

2544. El Gg omit isl ne; Gg schort p. and no for 2d ne. 2545. El 
Gg Ln ne for or. 2547. El H4 omit it. 2555. a Ln chieftayn, Pe 

Chevetayn, H4 cheuenten; II4 a. for the. 



.42556-2584] KNIGHTES TALE 91 

On outher syde, or dies sleen his make, 

No lenger shal the turneiynge laste. 

God spede you ! gooth forth, and ley on faste ! 

With long-swerd and with maces fighteth youre fille. 

Gooth now youre wey, this is the lordes wille.' 2560 

The voys of peple touchede the heuene, 
So loude cride they with murie steuene, 
' God saue swich a lord, that is so good 
He wilneth no destruction of blood ! ' 

Vp goth the trompes and the melodye, 2565 

And to the lystes rit the compaignye 
By ordinance, thurgh-out the citee large, 
Hanged with clooth of gold, and nat with sarge. 

Ful lik a lord this noble due gan ryde, 
Thise two Thebans vpon either side ; 2570 

And after rood the queene and Emelye, 
And after that another compaignye 
Of oon and oother, after hir degre ; 
And thus they passen thurgh out the citee, 
And to the lystes come they by tyme. 2575 

It nas not of the day yet fully pryme 
Whan set was Theseus ful riche and hye, 
Ypolita the queene, and Emelye, 
And othere ladyes in degrees aboute. 
Vnto the seettes preesseth al the route ; 2580 

And westward, thurgh the gates vnder Marte, 
Arcite, and eek the hondred of his parte, 
With baner reed is entred right anon. 
And in that selue moment Palamon 

2556. PeLnsclayn. 2558,2560. Hn e go for gooth. 2559. Co 
Ln with longe swerdes, Pe wi|? swerdes; Co 30ur. Pe longe, for with; 
Hn H 4 mace. 2561. Co Ln H4 be p.; a touched; e H4 omit 2d 

the. 2562. Gg longe for loude. 2565. a goon. 2570. Gg e thebenys. 
2575. Hn coome. 2581. vnder Marte is glossed sub Marte in a. 



92 KNIGHTES TALE [^2585-2613 

Is vnder Venus, Estward in the place, 2585 

With baner whyt, and hardy chiere and face. 

In al the world to seken vp and doun, 

So euene withouten variacioun 

Ther nere swiche compaignyes tweye ; 

For ther was noon so wys that koude seye 2590 

That any hadde of oother auauntage 

Of worthynesse, ne of estaat, ne age, 

So euene were they chosen, for to gesse. 

And in two renges faire they hem dresse. 

Whan that hir names rad were euerichon, 2595 

That in hir nombre gyle were ther noon, 
Tho were the gates shet, and cried was loude, 
i Do now youre deuoir, yonge knyghtes proude ! ' 

The heraudes lefte hir prikyng vp and doun ; 
Now ryngen trompes loude and clarioun ; 2600 

Ther is namoore to seyn, but west and est 
In goon the speres ful sadly in arrest ; 
In gooth the sharpe spore into the syde. 
Ther seen men who kan Iuste and who kan ryde ; 
Ther shyueren shaftes vpon sheeldes thikke ; 2605 

He feeleth thurgh the hertespoon the prikke. 
Vp spryngen speres twenty foot on highte ; 
Out goon the swerdes as the siluer brighte ; 
The helmes they tohewen and toshrede, 
Out brest the blood with stierne stremes rede ; 2610 
With myghty maces the bones they tobreste. 
He thurgh the thikkeste of the throng gan threste ; 
Ther stomblen steedes stronge, and doun gooth al ; 



2594. Gg omits in; e in to for in two; Gg € rynges. 2602. H4 

Co Ln goth. 2603. Gg Pe Ln II 4 spere for spore. 2607. Hn 

Co Ln spryngeth. 2608. El goth. 2612. Co Ln on for of. 
2613. El Gg semblen for stomblen. 



,42614-2643] KNIGHTES TALE 93 

He rolleth vnder foot as dooth a bal ; 

He foyneth on his feet with his tronchoun, * 2615 

And he hym hurtleth with his hors adoun ; 

He thurgh the body is hurt and sithen y-take, 

Maugree his heed, and broght vnto the stake ; 

As forward was, right ther he moste abyde. 

Another lad is on that oother syde. 2620 

And som tyme dooth hem Theseus to reste, 
Hem to refresshe and drynken if hem leste. 
Ful ofte a-day han thise Thebanes two 
Togydre y-met, and wroght his felawe wo ; 
Vnhorsed hath ech oother of hem tweye. 2625 

Ther nas no tygre in the vale of Galgopheye, 
Whan that hir whelp is stole whan it is lite, 
So crueel on the hunte as is Arcite 
For Ielous herte vpon this Palamoun. 
Ne in Belmarye ther nys so fel leoun 2630 

That hunted is, or for his hunger wood, 
Ne of his praye desireth so the blood, 
As Palamoun to sleen his foo Arcite. 
The Ielous strokes on hir helmes byte ; 
Out renneth blood on bothe hir sydes rede. 2635 

Som tyme an ende ther is of euery dede; 
For er the sonne vnto the reste wente, 
The stronge kyng Emetreus gan hente 
This Palamon, as he faugh t with Arcite, 
And made his swerd depe in his flessh to byte ; 2640 
And by the force of twenty is he take 
Vnyolden, and y-drawen to the stake. 
And in the rescus of this Palamoun 



2615. e foot. 2616. Hn e hurteth. 2622. El fresshen, Gg 

frossche,yfrr refresshe. 2624. Gg felawys. 2626. Go Pe omit the. 
2636. Pe Hi on for of. 2642. El ydrawe vnto; e drawenyftr ydrawen. 



94 KNIGHTES TALE [^2644-2673 

The stronge kyng Lygurge is born adoun, 

And kyng Emetreus, for al his strengthe, 2645 

Is born out of his sadel a swerdes lengthe, 

So hitte him Palamoun, er he were take ; 

But al for noght, he was broght to the stake. 

His hardy herte myghte hym helpe naught ; 

He moste abyde, whan that he was caught, 2650 

By force and eek by composicioun. 

Who sorweth now but woful Palamoun, 
That moot namoore goon agayn to fighte ? 
And whan that Theseus hadde seyn this sighte 
Vnto the folk that foghten thus echon 2655 

He cryde, ' Hoo ! Namoore, for it is doon ! 
I wol be trewe luge, and nat parti e : 
Arcite of Thebes shall haue Emelie 
That by his fortune hath hir faire ywonne.' 

Anon ther is a noyse of peple bigonne 2660 

For Ioye of this, so loude and heighe with-alle, 
It semed that the lystes sholde falle. 

What kan now faire Venus doon aboue ? 
What seith she now ? What dooth this Queene of Loue, 
But wepeth so for wantynge of hir wille, 2665 

Til that hir teeres in the lystes fille ? 
She seyde, ' I am ashamed doutelees.' 
Saturnus seyde, ' Doghter, hoold thy pees, 
Mars hath his wille, his knyght hath al his boone, 
And, by myn heed, thow shalt been esed soone.' 2670 

The trompes, with the loude mynstralcie, 
The heraudes, that ful loude yelle and crie, 
Been in hir wele for Ioye of daun Arcite. 

2654. Hn e H4 seen; Gg Pe H4 that s. 2655. H4 e omit and 

insert Ne noon schal lenger vnto his felaw goon after 2656. 2657. El 
Gg no for nat. 2671. Hn e trumpours. 2672. El H4 yolle. 



/4 2674-2702] KNIGHTES TALE 95 

But herkneth me, and stynteth now a lite, 

Which a myracle ther bifel anon. 2675 

This fierse Arcite hath of his helm y-don, 
And on a courser for to shewe his face 
He priketh endelong the large place, 
Lokynge vpvvard vp-on this Emelye, 
And she agayn hym caste a freendlich ye 2680 

And was al his in chiere, as in his herte. 2683 

Out of the ground a furie infernal sterte, 
From Pluto sent at requeste of Saturne, 2685 

For which his hors for fere gan to turne, 
And leep aside and foundred as he leep. 
And er that Arcite may taken keep, 
He pighte hym on the pomel of his heed, 
That in the place he lay as he were deed, 2690 

His brest to-brosten with his sadel-bowe. 
As blak he lay as any cole or crowe, 
So was the blood y-ronnen in his face. 
Anon he was y-born out of the place 
With herte soor to Theseus paleys. 2695 

Tho was he koruen out of his harneys, 
And in a bed y- brought ful faire and blyue ; 
For he was yet in memorie and alyue, 
And alwey criynge after Emelye. 

Due Theseus with al his compaignye 2700 

Is comen hoom to Atthenes his citee, 
With alle blisse and greet solempnitee ; 

2674. Hn e noyse, H4 but for now. 2680. a Ln eye; after this 

line H4 e add 

For wommen as (H 4 as for) to speken in comune, 
Thei folwen all the fauour of fortune. 

( The next verse is here marked 2683 so as not to disturb the usual line- 
numbering?) 2683. Hn she was; 1st in not found in AIss. 
2684. H 4 e fir for furie. 2685. H4 e at J>e (Co atte) r. 



96 KNIGHTES TALE [A 2703-2732 

Al be it that this auenture was falle, 

He nolde noght disconforten hem alle. 

Men seyde eek that Arcite shal nat dye, 2705 

He shal been heeled of his maladye. 

And of another thyng they weren as fayn, 
That of hem alle was ther noon y-slayn, 
Al were they soore y-hurt, and namely oon, 
That with a spere was thirled his brest boon. 2710 

To othere woundes and to broken armes, 
Somme hadden salues and somme hadden charmes ; 
Fermacies of Herbes, and eek saue 
They dronken, for they wolde hir lymes haue. 
For which this noble due, as he wel kan,^ 2715 

Conforteth and honoureth euery man, 
And made reuel al the longe nyght 
Vnto the straunge lordes, as was right. 
Ne ther was holden no disconfitynge 
But as a Iustes, or a tourneiynge ; 2720 

For soothly ther was no disconfiture. 
For fallyng nys nat but an auenture, 
Ne to be lad by force vnto the stake 
Vnyolden, and with twenty knyghtes take, 
A persone allone withouten mo, 2725 

And haryed forth by arme, foot and too, 
And eke his steede dryuen forth with staues, 
With footmen, bothe yemen and eek knaues, — 
It nas aretted hym no vileynye ; 
Ther may no man clepen it cowardve. 2730 

For which anon due Theseus leet crye, 
To stynten alle rancour and enuye, 

2710. Iln Pe the /or his. 2718. H* c as it was r. 2719. Hn to 
for no. 2722. H4 e omit nat ; Pe is by an; Ln omits an. 2725. El 
O, Gg on for A. 2726. a Gg arm; Gg omits forth. 2730. Hn Gg 
clepe. 



,42733-2762] KNIGHTES TALE 97 

The gree as wel of o syde as of oother, 

And eyther syde y-lik as ootheres brother, 

And yaf hem yiftes after hir degree, 2735 

And fully heeld a feeste dayes three ; 

And conueyed the kynges worthily 

Out of his toun a Iournee largely. 

And hoom wente euery man the righte way, 

Ther was namoore, but ' Fare wel ! Haue good day ! ' 2740 

Of this bataille I wol namoore endite, 

But speke of Palamoun and of Arcyte. 

Swelleth the brest of Arcite, and the soore 
Encreeseth at his herte moore and moore. 
The clothered blood, for any lechecraft, 2745 

Corrupteth, and is in his bouk y-laft, 
That neither veyne-blood ne ventusynge, 
Ne drynke of herbes may ben his helpynge ; 
The vertu expulsif, or animal, 

Fro thilke vertu cleped natural 2750 

Ne may the venym voyden ne expelle. 
The pipes of his longes gonne to swelle, 
And euery lacerte in his brest adoun 
Is shent with venym and corrupcioun. 
Hym gayneth neither, for to gete his lif, 2755 

Vomyt vpward ne dounward laxatif ; 
Al is to-brosten thilke regioun, 
Nature hath now no dominacioun ; 
And certeinly ther Nature wol nat wirche 
Farevvel, Phisik ! go ber the man to chirche ! 2760 

This al and som, that Arcita moot dye. 
For which he sendeth after Emelye, 

2733. Gg on for 1st of. 2737. El conuoyed. 2740. Gg e 

and haue. 2744. Hn encreese that. 2 75 2 - Hn H4 e gan to. 

2758. Gg Hn e omit now. 
H 



98 KNIGHTES TALE [.4 2763-2791 

And Palamon, that was his cosyn deere. 
Thanne seyde he thus as ye shal after heere : 

' Naught may the woful spirit in myn herte 2765 

Declare a point of alle my sorwes smerte 
To yow, my lady, that I loue moost ; 
But I biquethe the seruyce of my goost 
To yow abouen euery creature, 

Syn that my lyf may no lenger dure. 2770 

Alias the wo ! alias, the peynes stronge, 
That I for yow haue suffred, and so longe ! 
Alias, the deeth ! Alias, myn Emelye ! 
Alias, departynge of our compaignye ! 
Alias, myn hertes queene ! alias, my wyf ! 2775 

Myn hertes lady, endere of my lyf! 
What is this world ? what asketh men to haue ? 
Now with his loue, now in his colde graue 
Allone, withouten any compaignye. 
Farewel, my swete foo, myn Emelye ! 2780 

And softe taak me in youre armes tweye 
For loue of God, and herkneth what I seye. 

' I haue heer with my cosyn Palamon 
Had strif and rancour many a day agon 
For loue of yow, and for my Ialousye \ 2785 

And Iuppiter so wys my soule gye 
To speken of a seruaunt proprely, 
With alle circumstances trewely, 
That is to seyn, trouthe, honour, knyghthede, 
Wysdom, humblesse, estaat and heigh kynrede, 2790 
Fredom, and al that longeth to that art ! 

2766. El O, Gg on for a. 2766. Fe II4 omit alle. 2770. Cf. 

Introd., § 260 b; but perhaps we should read now no 1. as in v. 2758. 
2777. Gg askyn; II4 Pe asken; Co Ln axed. 2779-2782. Hn omits. 
2782. Gg Ln herkene. 2788. Hn e cir. alle. 2789. Co Pe H 4 

tr. h. and kn. 



^2792-2820] KNIGHTES TALE 99 

So Iuppiter haue of my soule part, 

As in this world right now ne knovve I non 

So worthy to ben loued as Palamon, 

That serueth yow and wol doon al his lyf. 2795 

And if that euere ye shul ben a wyf, 

Foryet nat Palamon, the gentil man/ — 

And with that word his speche faille gan. 

For from his feet vp to his brest was come 

The coold of deeth that hadde him ouercome, 2800 

And yet mooreouer, for in his armes two 

The vital strengthe is lost and al ago. 

Oonly the intellect withouten moore, 

That dwelled in his herte syk and soore, 

Gan faillen when the herte felte deeth. 2805 

Dusked hise eyen two, and failled breeth, 

But on his lady yet caste he his ye ; 

His laste word was, ' Mercy, Emelye !' 

His spirit chaunged hous, and wente ther 

As I cam neuer, I kan nat tellen wher. 2810 

Therfore I stynte, I nam no diuinistre ; 

' Of soules ' fynde I nat in this registre, 

Ne me ne list thilke opinions to telle 

Of hem, though that they writen wher they dwelle ; 

Arcite is coold, ther Mars his soule gye. 2815 

Now wol I speken forth of Emelye. 

Shrighte Emelye, and howleth Palamon, 
And Theseus his suster took anon 
Swpwnynge, and baar hir fro the corps away. 
What helpeth it to tarien forth the day 2820 

2796. H4 Pe shul euer be. 2799. El Gg H4 herte for feet; e vnto 
for vp to; Pe >e herte for his br. 2801. H± omits for. 2806. Co 
Ln Busked; Pe dusken; Hi duskyng. 2807. a Gg Ln eye. 

2811. earn. 2S13. H4 list nat thopynyouns. 2815. Co Pe 

]at, Ln \dXfor ther. 

LofC. 



100 KNIGHTES TALE [,4 2821-2849 

To tellen how she weep, bothe eue and morwe ? 

For in swich cas wommen haue swich sorwe 

Whan that hir housbondes ben from hem ago, 

That for the moore part they sorwen so, 

Or ellis fallen in swich maladye 2825 

That at the laste certeinly they dye. 

Infinite been the sorwes and the teeres 
Of olde folk, and folk of tendre yeeres, 
In al the toun for deeth of this Theban. 
For hym ther wepeth bothe child and man ; 2830 

So greet a wepyng was ther noon, certayn, 
Whan Ector was y-broght al fressh y-slayn 
To Troye. Alias ! the pitee that was ther, 
Cracchynge of chekes, rentynge eek of heer. 

' Why woldestow be deed ? ' thise wommen crye, 2835 
1 And haddest gold ynough, and Emelye. , 

No man myghte gladen Theseus, 
Sauynge his olde fader Egeus, 
That knew this worldes transmutacioun 
As he hadde seyn it vp and doun, 2840 

Ioye after wo and wo after gladnesse, 
And shewed hem ensamples and liknesse. 

' Right as ther dyed neuere man,' quod he, 
1 That he ne lyuede in erthe in som degree, 
Right so ther lyuede neuere man,' he seyde, 2845 

1 In all this world that som tyme he ne deyde. 
This world nys but a thurghfare ful of wo, 
And we been pilgrymes passynge to and fro ; 
Deeth is an ende of euery worldly soore.' 



2823. El housbond is. 2828. El and eke, H 4 hat ben /or and 

folk. 2832. Hn e Gg broght. 2840. I In seyn it chaungen bothe 

vp, etc.; H 4 seen it torne {see note'). 2842. e scheweth; Hn II4 e 

ensaumple. 



,42850-2878] KNIGHT ES TALE 10 1 

And ouer al this yet seyde he muchel moore - 2850 

To this effect, ful wisely to enhorte 

The peple that they sholde hem reconforte. 

Due Theseus with all his bisy cure 
Casteth now wher that the sepulture 
Of goode Arcite may best y-maked be, 2855 

And eek moost honurable in his degree. 
And at the laste he took conclusioun 
That ther as first Arcite and Palamoun 
Hadden for loue the bataille hem bitwene, 
That in the selue groue swoote and grene 2860 

Ther as he hadde his amorouse desires, 
His compleynte, and for loue his hoote fires, 
He wolde make a fyr in which the orifice 
Funeral he myghte al accomplice. 

And leet comande anon to hakke and hewe 2865 

The okes olde, and leye hem on a rewe, 
In colpons wel arrayed for to brenne. 
Hise officers with swifte feet they renne, 
And ryde anon at his comandement. 
And after this Theseus hath y-sent 2870 

After a beere, and it al ouer spradde 
With clooth of gold, the richeste that he hadde. 
And of the same suyte he clad Arcite ; 
Vpon his hondes hise gloues white, 
Eek on his heed a coroune of laurer grene, 2875 

And in his hond a swerd ful bright and kene. 
He leyde hym, bare the visage, on the beere. 
Ther-with he weep that pitee was to heere. 



2854. El Gg H 4 Co Ln cast, Hn Caste, Pe Tasteb (see § 177) ; H 4 
busily for now. 2864. e hem all complice. 2865. Hn H4 e anon 

comande. 2868. H4 e foot for feet. 2874. Hn e his, Gg hese, 
for hise; H4 were his gl.; El hadde he gl. 2876. Co Ln omit ful. 



102 KNIGHTES TALE [,4 2879-2907 

And for the peple sholde seen hym alle, 

Whan it was day he broghte hym to the halle, 2880 

That roreth of the criyng and the soun. 

Tho cam this woful Theban Palamoun, 
With flotery herd and ruggy asshy heeres, 
In clothes blake, y-dropped al with teeres ; 
And, passynge othere of wepynge, Emelye, 2885 

The rewefulleste of al the compaignye. 
In as muche as the seruyce sholde be 
The moore noble and riche in his degree, 
Due Theseus leet forth thre steedes brynge, 
That trapped were in Steele al gliterynge, 2890 

And couered with the armes of daun Arcite. 
Vpon thise steedes grete and white, 
Ther seten folk, of whiche oon baar his sheeld, 
Another his spere vp on his hondes heeld, 
The thridde baar with hym his bowe Turkeys 2895 

(Of brend gold was the caas, and eek the harneys). 
And riden forth a paas with sorweful cheere, 
Toward the groue, as ye shul after heere. 
The nobleste of the Grekes that ther were 
Vpon hir shuldres caryeden the beere, 2900 

With slake paas, and eyen rede and wete, 
Thurgh-out the citee by the maister strete, 
That sprad was al with blak, and wonder hye 
Right of the same is the strete y-wrye. 

Vpon the right hond wente olde Egeus, 2905 

And on that oother syde due Theseus, 
With vessels in hir hand of gold ful fyn 



2880. Co Ln in to the h. 2881. H 4 e cry. 2883. El rugged/?;- 
ruggy; Gg flatery herys. 2892. H4 J?e st. that weren g., etc. 2893. El 
Ln sitten; Pe stoclen. 2894. El H4 vp in. 2901. a Gg H4 Co Pe 
slak (paas ?nistake)i for singula}', cf. § 101). 2904. H4 is al the s. 



,42908-2935] KNIGHTES TALE IO3 

Al ful of hony, milk, and blood, and wyn : 

Eek Palamon, with ful greet compaignye. 

And after that cam woful Emelye, 2910 

With fyr in honde, as was that tyme the gyse 

To do the office of funeral seruyse. 

Heigh labour and ful greet apparaillynge 
Was at the seruice and the fyr makynge, 
That with his grene top the heuen raughte ; 2915 

And twenty fadme of brede the armes straughte, 
This is to seyn, the bowes weren so brode. 
Of stree first ther was leyed many a lode ; 
But how the fyr was maked vp on highte, 
And eek the names how the trees highte, — 2920 

As 00k, firre, birch, asp, alder, holm, popler, 
Wylwe, elm, plane, assh, box, chasteyn, lynde, laurer, 
Mapul, thorn, bech, hasel, ew, whippeltre, — 
How they weren feld shal nat be toold for me ; 
Ne how the goddes ronnen vp and doun 2925 

Disherited of hir habitacioun, 
In which they woneden in reste and pees, 
Nymphes, Fawnes, and Amadrides ; 
Ne how the beestes and the briddes alle 
Fledden for fere, whan the wode was falle ; 2930 

Ne how the ground agast was of the light, 
That was nat wont to seen the sonne bright ; 
Ne how the fyr was couched first with stree, 
And thanne with drye stikkes clouen a thre, 
And thanne with grene wode and spicerye, 2935 



2914. H4 Pe Ln and at the f. 2918. Mss. leyd (Pe Ln leyde); 

El H 4 ful many. 2920. El that, Gg what for how. 2922. El 

Wylugh; Hn e wylow; Gg H4 wylw; Pe Ln byndy^r lynde. 2924. El 
fild. 2926. H 4 Disheryt. 2927. El whiche. 2928. Gg H 4 e 

amadries. 2934. El Co stokkes. 



104 KNIGHT ES TALE [.42936-2963 

And thanne with clooth of gold, and with perrye, 

And gerlandes, hangynge with ful many a flour ; 

The mirre, thencens, with al so greet odour; 

Ne how Arcite lay among al this, 

Ne what richesse aboute his body is, 2940 

Ne how that Emelye, as was the gyse, 

Putte in the fyr of funeral seruyse, 

Ne how she swowned whan men made the fyr, 

Ne what she spak, ne what was hir desyr, 

Ne what Ieweles men in the fyr caste 2945 

Whan that the fyr was greet and brente faste ; 

Ne how 7 somme caste hir sheeld and somme hir spere, 

And of hir vestimentz whiche that they were, 

And coppes full of wyn, and milk, and blood, 

Into the fyr, that brente as it were wood ; 2950 

Ne how the Grekes with an huge route 

Thries riden al the fyr aboute 

Vpon the left hand with a loud shoutynge, 

And thries with hir speres claterynge ; 

And thries how the ladyes gonne crye, 2955 

And how that lad was homward Emelye ; 

Ne how Arcite is brent to asshen colde, 

Ne how that lychewake was y-holde 

Al thilke nyght ; ne how the Grekes pleye 

The wake-pleyes ; ne kepe I nat to seye 2960 

Who wrastleth best naked with oille enoynt, 

Ne who that baar hym best in no disioynt. 

I wol nat tellen eek how that they goon 

2936. Pe omits 2d with; Lnofp. 2937. Hn ful of m. ; Gg Pe 

omit ful. 2940. Hn the b. 2943. El omit the; H 4 wh. she 

made; e wh. made was the f. 2945. H4 tho c. 2949. I In e of 

m. and (Ln. omits) w. and b. 2952. El place for fyr. 2953. Co 

Ln bowe shotynge. 2958. H4 omits; a lych wake. 2963. Hn e 
t. al how they; H4 they ben g. 



^2964-2993] KNIGHTES TALE 105 

Hoom til Atthenes, whan the pleye is doon ; 

But shortly to the point thanne wol I wende, 2965 

And maken of my longe tale an ende. 

By processe and by lengthe of certeyn yeres 
Al styntyd is the moornynge and the teres. 
Of Grekes by oon general assent, 

Thanne semed me, ther was a parlement 2970 

At Atthenes, vpon certein poyntz and caas ; 
Among the whiche poyntz y-spoken was, 
To haue with certein contrees alliaunce, 
And haue fully of Thebans obeissaunce. 
For which this noble Theseus anon 2975 

Leet senden after gentil Palamon, 
Vnwist of hym what was the cause and why ; 
But in his blake clothes sorwefully 
He cam at his comandement in hye. 
Tho sente Theseus for Emelye. 2980 

Whan they were set, and hust was al the place, 
And Theseus abiden hadde a space 
Er any word cam from his wise brest, 
His eyen sette he ther as was his lest, 
And with a sad visage he siked stille ; 2985 

And after that right thus he seyde his wille : 

' The Firste Moeuere of the cause aboue, 
Whan he first made the faire cheyne of loue, 
Greet was theffect and heigh was his entente. 
Wei wiste he why and what therof he mente, 2990 

For with that faire cheyne of loue he bond 
The fyr, the eyr, the water and the lond, 
In certeyn bound es that they may nat flee. 

2964. Co Ln was d. 2968. Hn e stynt. 2971. Gg poyntys; 

Hn H4 e vpon a c. poynt. 2972. Gg spokyn omitting whiche, Pe 

omits the whiche. 2981. e.huyst; Hi hussht. 



106 KNIGHTES TALE [.4 2994-3018 

That same Prince, and that same Moeuere/ quod he, 

' Hath stablissed in this wrecched world adoun 2995 

Certeyne dayes and duracioun 

To al that is engendrid in this place, 

Ouer the whiche day they may nat pace, 

Al mowe they yet tho dayes wel abregge ; 

Ther nedeth noon auctoritee to allegge, 3000 

For it is preeued by experience, 

But that me list declaren my sentence. 

Thanne may men by this ordre wel discerne 

That thilke Moeuere stable is and eterne. 

Wel may men knowe, but it be a fool, 3005 

That euery part dirryueth from his hool ; 

For nature hath taken his bigynnyng 

Of no partie or cantel of a thyng, 

But of a thyng that parfit is and stable, 

Descendynge so til it be corrumpable. 3010 

And therfore for his wise purueiaunce 

He hath so wel biset his ordinaunce, 

That speces of thynges and progressiouns 

Shullen enduren by successiouns, 

And nat eterne — withouten any lye 3015 

This maystow understonde and seen at ye. 

1 Loo the 00k, that hath so long a norisshynge 
From tyme that it first bigynneth sprynge, 



2994. Hn Ln omit 2d same; H4 and m. eek. 2998. a which. 

2999. Hn e omit wel; H4 3k wel hered. 3000. El Co needeth 
nought; El to omits to; Gg e to legge (Ln lugge). 3003. Hn H4 

e wel after men (Pe omits it). 3004. Gg stylle and sterne^r stable 
etc. 3006. Hn is diryued, Co Ln darreyned, for dirryueth. 

3007. Hn H4 e hath nat. 3008. aeofc; Ggofa c; H4 ne c. 

301 1. El Gg Pe H4 of for for. 3013- Gg Pe specyfie, Co Ln specie 

for speces. 3015. ^4 eterne be wij'oute lye. 3016. El Gg Ln 

eye. 3018. Hn H4 gynneth; Pe H4 first before to sp.; H4 e to 
spr. 



^3 OI 9-3°47] KNIGHTES TALE 107 

And hath so long a lif, as we may see, 

Yet at the laste wasted is the tree. 3020 

1 Considered! eek how that the harde stoon 
Vnder oure feet, on which we trede and goon, 
Yit wasteth it as it lyth by the weye ; 
The brode ryuer somtyme wexeth dreye ; 
The grete townes se we wane and wende ; 3025 

Thanne may ye se that al this thyng hath ende. 

* Of man and womman seen we wel also, 
That nedeth in oon of thise termes two, 
This is to seyn, in youthe or elles age, 

He moot be deed — the kyng as shal a page ; 3030 

Som in his bed, som in the depe see, 
Som in the large feeld, as men may se ; 
Ther helpeth noght, al goth that ilke weye : 
Thanne may I seyn that al this thyng moot deye. 

1 What maketh this but Iuppiter, the kyng, 3035 

The which is prince and cause of alle thyng, 
Conuertynge al vnto his propre welle 
From which it is dirryued, sooth to telle ? 
And here-agayns no creature on lyue 
Of no degree auailleth for to stryue. 3040 

* Thanne is it wysdom, as it thynketh me, 
To maken vertu of necessitee, 

And take it weel that we may not eschue, 

And namely that to vs alle is due. 

And whoso gruccheth ought, he dooth fdlye, 3045 

And rebel is to hym that al may gye. 

And certeinly a man hath moost honour 



3019. Hn e ye for we. 3022. Hn H4 e foot for feet. 3024. Hn 
It wasteth as, etc. 3025. El touresyftr townes. 3026. Gg may I 
say, H4 may I see, Hn se ye, e ye se for may ye see. 3028. e the 
termes. 3032. Hn e ye for men. 3°3^- Hn he for it. 



108 KNIGHTES TALE [^3048-3075 

To dyen in his excellence and flour, 

Whan he is siker of his goode name. 

Thanne hath he doon his freend ne hym no shame. 3050 

And gladder oghte his freend been of his deeth, 

Whan with honour is yolden vp his breeth, 

Than whan his name apalled is for age, 

For al forgeten is his vassellage. 

Thanne is it best, as for a worthy fame, 3055 

To dyen whan that he is best of name. 

' The contrarie of al this is wilfulnesse. 
Why grucchen we, why haue we heuynesse, 
That goode Arcite, of chiualrie flour, 
Departed is with deutee and honour 3060 

Out of this foule prisoun of this lyf ? 
Why grucchen heere his cosyn and his wyf 
Of his welfare that loued hem so weel ? 
Kan he hem thank — Nay, God woot, neuer a dee! — 
That bothe his soule and eek hem-self offende? 3065 
And yet they mowe hir lustes nat amende. 

1 What may I conclude of this longe serye, 
But after wo I rede vs to be merye, 
And thanken Iuppiter of al his grace? 
And er that we departen from this place 3070 

I rede we make of sorwes two, 
O parfit Ioye lastynge euermo. 
And looketh now wher moost sorwe is her-inne, 
Ther wol we first amenden and bigynne. 

1 Suster,' quod he, ' this is my mile assent, 3075 



3051. Co Ln freendes. 3052. El vpyolden is; Hn e yolden is vp 
(exc. Ln) ; H 4 e )>e br. 3054. Gg wasseylage; Co Ln vesselage. 
3C9. H4 e \>e flour. 3060. lln e with d. and with h.; Gg deynte; H4 
worsohip. 3062. Hn H4 e (exc. Pe) gruccheth. 3071. H4 inserts 

that before we. 3073. Imperfect in Gg. 3074. Gg imperfect to 3088. 



A 3076-3103] KNIGHTES TALE IOQ 

With al thauys heere of my parlement, 

That gentil Palamon, youre owene knyght, 

That serueth yow with wille, herte, and myght, 

And euere hath doon syn ye first hym knewe, 

That ye shul of your grace vpon hym rewe, 3080 

And taken hym for housbonde and for lord ; 

Lene me youre hond for this is oure accord. 

Lat se now of youre wommanly pitee ; 

He is a kynges brother sone, par dee, 

And though he were a poure bacheler, 3085 

Syn he hath serued yow so many a yeer 

And had for yow so greet aduersitee, 

It moste been considered, leeueth me, 

For gentil mercy oghte to passen right.' 

Thanne seyde he thus to Palamon ful right : 3090 

1 1 trowe ther nedeth litel sermonyng 
To make yow assente to this thyng • 
Com neer, and taak youre lady by the hond.' 
Bitwixen hem was maad anon the bond 
That highte matrimoigne, or mariage, 3095 

By al the conseil and the baronage. 
And thus with alle blisse and melodye 
Hath Palamon y-wedded Emelye. 
And God, that al this wyde world hath wroght, 
Sende hym his loue that hath it deere aboght, 3100 

For now is Palamon in alle wele, 
Lyuynge in blisse, in richesse, and in heele ; 
And Emelye hym loueth so tendrely, 



3077. El thynyfrr youre. 3078. Hn w. and harte might; Co Ln 
w. and h. and m; H 4 herte w. and m ; H 4 Hn e omit that. 3079. El 

syn bat ye; H 4 fyrst tyme ye. 3089. Gg begins a^ain. 3090. Hn 

e the knyght for ful ryght. 3096. Gg cxmttzfor conseil. 3099. Hn 
e omit wide. 3100. El omits hath. 



110 KNIGHTES TALE [^3104-3108 

And he hir serueth al-so gentilly, 

That neuere was ther no word hem bitwene 3105 

Of Ialousie, or any oother tene. 

Thus endeth Palamon and Emefye ; 
And God saue al this faire compaignye. 

Amen. 

Heere is ended the Knyghtes Tale. 



3104. Mss. exc. H4 omit al (probably correction in H 4 ). 
3105. Hn Co Ln omit neuere; Pe omits was ther; Ln that ther no 
w. was, etc. 3108. Amen found only in a. 



THE NONNES PREESTES TALE 



THIS IS THE PROLOGE OF THE NONNES PRESTES 

TALE. 

(B 3957-4636) 

' Hoo ! ' quod the Knyght, ' Good Sire, namoore of this ! 
That ye han seyd is right ynough, y-wis, 
And muchel moore ; for litel heuynesse 
Is right ynough to muche folk, I gesse. 3960 

I seye for me, it is a greet disese, 
Where as men han been in greet welthe and ese, 
To heeren of hir sodeyn fal alias ! 
And the contrarie is ioye and greet solas, 
As whan a man hath ben in poure estaat, 3965 

And clymbeth vp, and wexeth fortunat, 
And there abideth in prosperitee. 
Swich thyng is gladsom, as it thynketh me, 
And of swich thyng were goodly for to telle.' 

' Ye,' quod oure Hoost, ' by Seinte Poules belle, 3970 

Ye seye right sooth ! This Monk he clappeth lowde ; 
He spak how " Fortune couered with a clowde " — 
I noot neuer what, and also of a " Tragedie " 
Right now ye herde. And, pardee, no remedie 
It is for to biwaille, ne compleyne 3975 

That that is doon ; and als it is a peyne, 

This prologue is not found hi Gg, which begins with v. 4049 on folio 
365; folios 363, 364 are missing from this Ms. Sloane 1685 (SI) sup- 
plies its place in Six- Text. 3960 SI Co Ln as I gesse (Ln gest). 
3961-3980. Omitted in Hn Co Pe : El Ln and some Mss. of Tci group 
given in Six- Text contain the passage. 

11 1 



112 NONNES PREESTES TALE [B 397^-4005 

As ye han seyd, to heere of heuynesse. 

Sire Monk ! Namoore of this, so God yovv blesse ! 

Youre tale anoyeth all this compaignye. 

Swich talkyng is nat worth a boterflye, 3980 

For ther inne is ther no desport ne game. 

Wherfore, Sir Monk, Daun Piers by youre name, 

I pray yovv hertely telle vs somwhat elles. 

For sikerly, nere clynkyng of youre belles 

That on youre bridel hange on euery syde, 3985 

By heuene kyng, that for vs alle dyde, 

I sholde er this han fallen doun for sleep, 

Althogh the slough had neuer been so deep : 

Thanne hadde youre tale al be toold in veyn.~ 

For certeinly, as that thise clerkes seyn, 3990 

Where as a man may haue noon audience, 

Noght helpeth it to tellen his sentence. 

And wel I woot the substance is in me, 

If any thyng shal wel reported be. 

Sir, sey somwhat of huntyng, I yow preye.' 3995 

' Nay ! ' quod this Monk, 1 1 haue no lust to pleye. 
Now lat another telle, as I haue toold.' 

Thanne spak oure Hoost with rude speche and boold, 
And seyde vnto the Nonnes Preest anon : 
' Com neer, thou preest, com hyder, thou " Sir Iohn ! " 4000 
Telle vs swich thyng as may oure hertes glade. 
Be blithe, though thou ryde vpon a iade — 
What thogh thyn hors be bothe foule and lene ? 
If he vvol serue thee rekke nat a bene, 
Looke that thyn herte be murie eueremo.' 4005 



3981. Hn Co Pe Youre tales don vs for For ther inne is ther; Ln 

omits second ther. 3982. Hn O daun, Pe or daun. 39^7- Co 

Ln SI schal/tfr sholde. 4000. e omits second ihou. 4004. Co 
Ln SI rekke \>e. 



£4006-4027] NONNES PREESTES TALE II3 

6 Yis, sir,' quod he, ( yis Hoost, so moot I go, 
But I be myrie, y-wis I wol be blamed.' 
And right anon his tale he hath attamed, 
And thus he seyde vn to vs euerichon, 
This sweete preest, this goodly man, Sir Iohn : — 4010 



Heere Bigynneth the Nonnes Preestes Tale of the Cok and 
Hen, — Chauntecleer and Pertelote. 

A poure wydwe, somdel stape in age, 
Was whilom dwellyng in a narwe cotage 
Beside a groue stondynge in a dale. 
This wydwe, of which I telle yow my tale, 
Syn thilke day that she was last a wyf, 4015 

In pacience ladde a ful symple lyf, 
For litel was hir catel and hir rente. 
By housbondrie of swich as God hir sente 
She foond hirself, and eek hire doghtren two. 
Thre large sowes hadde she, and namo, 4020 

Three kyn and eek a sheep that highte Malle. 
Ful sooty was hir hour and eek hir halle, 
In which she eet ful many a sklendre meel ; 
Of poynaunt sauce hir neded neuer a deel, 
No deyntee morsel passed thurgh hir throte. 4025 

Hir diete was accordant to hir cote ; 
Repleccion ne made hir neuere sik, 



4006. Co Ln SI )is, hoste quod he so mote I ryde or go. 4010. Co 
Ln SI goode for goodly. Pe My tale I wil bygynne anon for 4010. 
401 1. Hn poore ; Co pouere ; Ln pouer; H4 e wydow (Co wydewe); 
H4 e stope (cp. E 1514 where a stapen, Gg schapyn). 4013. e Be- 
sydes. 4015- e Sybens (Ln Sebben). 4021. El keen. 

4023. Pe Ln omit Ful. 4025. e omits thurgh. 



114 NONNES PREESTES TALE [£4028-4054 

Attempree diete was al hir phisik, 
• And exercise, and hertes suffisaunce. 
The goute lette hir no-thyng for to daunce, * 4030 
Napoplexie shente nat hir heed ; 
No vvyn ne drank she, neither whit ne reed. 
Hir bord was serued moost with whit and blak, 
Milk and broun breed, in which she foond no lak ; 
Seynd bacoun and somtyme an ey or tweye, 4033 

For she was as it were a maner deye. 

A yeerd she hadde, enclosed al aboute 
With stikkes and a drye dych withoute, 
In which she hadde a cok heet Chauntecleer. 
In al the land of crowyng nas his peer/ 4040 

His voys was murier than the murie orgon 
On messedayes that in the chirche gon. 
Wei sikerer was his crowyng in his logge 
Than is a clokke, or an abbey orlogge ; 
By nature he knew eche ascencioun 4045 

Of equynoxial in thilke toun, 
For whan degrees fiftene weren ascended, 
Thanne crew he that it myghte nat been amended. 
His coomb was redder than the fyn coral 
And batailled as it were a castel wal ; 4050 

His byle was blak, and as the Ieet it shoon ; 
Lyk asure were hise legges and his toon \ 
His nayles whitter than the lylye flour, 
And lyk the burned gold was his colour. 



4030. e to for for to. 4031. H4 e Ne Poplexie. 4037. e gardyn 
for yeerd. 4039. H4 e hat highte for heet. 4040. Pe Ln was, 

H4 was noon for nas. 4043. Co Pe be for 1st his. 4044. Hn 

Co Ln any for an. 4045. El Pe crew for knew ; H4 knew he. 

4046. El Ln of the equ. ; e of for in. 4047. e discendid. 

4048. e knew for crew. 4049. Gg begins. 405 3. El whiter. 

4054. e y\Wz for lyk the; Hn e burnisht. 



B 4055-4083] NONNES PREESTES TALE I 1 5 

This gentil cok hadde in his gouernaunce 4055 

Seuene hennes for to doon al his plesaunce, 
Whiche were hise sustres and his paramours, 
And wonder lyk to hym, as of colours ; 
Of whiche the faireste hewed on hir throte 
Was cleped faire damoys'ele Pertelote. 4060 

Curteys she was, discreet and debonaire, 
And compaignable, and bar hyr-self so faire, 
Syn thilke day that she was seuen nyght oold, 
That trewely she hath the herte in hoold 
Of Chauntecleer, loken in euery lith ; 4065 

He loued hir so that wel was hym therwith. 
But swiche a ioye was it to here hem synge, 
Whan that the brighte sonne bigan to sprynge, 
In sweete accord, ' My lief is faren in londe ' — 
(For thilke tyme, as I haue understonde, 4070 

Beestes and briddes koude speke and synge !) 

And so bifel that in a dawenynge, 
As Chauntecleer among hise wyues alle 
Sat on his perche that was in the halle, 
And next hym sat this faire Pertelote, 4075 

This Chauntecleer gan gronen in his throte, 
As man that in his dreem is drecched soore. 
And whan that Pertelote thus herde hym roore, 
She was agast, and seyde, ' Herte deere ! 
What eyleth yow, to grone in this man ere ? 4080 

Ye been a verray sleper \ fy, for shame ! ' 

And he answerde and seyde thus : ' Madame, 
I pray yow that ye take it nat agrief j 

4063. Gg H4 }eer /or nyght. 4066. Gg hym /or hir. 4067. Gg 
Ln it was, Co Pe as it was /or -was it. 4068. Hn H4 Co Pe gan 
/or bigan. 4072. El the /or a ; Pe in \>e dawynge. 4074. Gg 
an, H4 his/or the. 4°75- ^gJDame P. /or this f. P. 4077. Co 

Pe man j?at is in his dr. dr. 4079. El o herte d. 



Il6 NONNES PKEESTES TALE [£4084-4112 

By God, me mette I was in swich meschief 

Right now, that yet myn herte is soore afright. 4085 

Now God,' quod he, ' my sweuene recche aright, 

And kepe my body out of foul prisoun ! 

Me mette how that I romed vp and doun 

Withinne our yeerd, wheer as I saugh a beest 

Was lyk an hound, and wolde han maad areest 4090 

Vpon my body, and han had me deed. 

His colour was bitwixe yelpw and reed, 

And tipped was his tayl, and bothe his eeris-, 

With blak, vnlyk the remenant of his heeris. 

His snowte smal, with glowynge eyen tweye ; 4095 

Yet of his look for feere almoost I deye ; 

This caused me my gronyng doutelees.' 

' Avoy ! ' quod she, * fy on yow, hertelees ! 
Alias ! ' quod she, ' for by that God aboue ! 
Now han ye lost myn herte and al my loue. 4100 

I kan nat loue a coward, by my feith ! 
For certes, what so any womman seith, 
We alle desiren, if it myghte bee, 
To han housbondes hardy, wise, and free, 
And secree, and no nygard, ne no fool, 4105 

Ne hym that is agast of euery tool, 
Ne noon auauntour. By that God aboue ! 
How dorste ye seyn, for shame, vnto youre loue 
That any thyng myghte make yow aferd ? 
Haue ye no mannes herte, and han a berd? 41 jo 

Alias ! and konne ye been agast of sweuenys? 
No thyng, God woot, but vanitee in sweuene is. 



4084. El me thoughte for me mette ; e bat I was. 4086. H4 e 
rede for recche. 4091. H4 e wold han had, Gg anhad/^r han had. 

4092. e whit for yelow. 4105- e ne for 2d and. 4112-4414. 

omitted in Co Ln. 



£4"3-4i4<>] NONNES PREESTES TALE II7 

Sweuenes engendren of replecciouns, 

And ofte of fume and of complecciouns, 

Whan humours been to habundant in a wight. 41 15 

Certes this dreem, which ye han met to-nyght, 

Cometh of the greete superfluytee 

Of youre rede Colera, pardee, 

Which causeth folk to dreden in hir dremes 

Of arwes, and of fyr with rede lemes, 4120 

Of rede beestes, that they wol hem byte, 

Of contek and of whelpes, grete and lyte ; 

Right as the humour of malencolie 

Causeth ful many a man in sleep to crie 

For feere of blake beres, or boles blake, 4125 

Of elles blake deueles wole hem take. 

Of othere humours koude I telle also 

That werken many a man in sleep ful wo ; 

But I wol passe as lightly as I kan. 

Lo Catoun, which that was so wys a man, 4130 

Seyde he nat thus ; " Ne do no fors of dremes " ? 

' Now, sire,' quod she, 'whan we flee fro the bemes, 
For Goddes loue, as taak som laxatyf. 
Vp peril of my souie and of my lyf, 
I conseille yow the beste, I wol nat lye, 4135 

That bothe of colere and of malencolye 
Ye purge yow. And for ye shal nat tarie, 
Though in this toun is noon apothecarie, 
I shal myself to herbes techen yow 
That shul been for your hele, and for your prow ; 4140 

41 16. Co Ln herd, Pe had for met. 41 17. El of greet. 

4119. H 4 e drtmen for dreden. 4120. El fyr e. 4121. e omits 

they. 4123. Co Ln omit of. 4124. e omits ful. 4125. Gg H4 

or of, Co and of, Pe Ln and for or. 4132. El ye for we; Hn H4 

thise bemes. 4133. Gg omits as. 4136,4137 are omitted in H4. 

4138. e jxrngh hat in. 4140. e omits 1st for. 



Il8 NONNES PREESTES TALE [£4141-4168 

And in oure yeerd tho herbes shal I fynde 

The whiche han of hir propretee by kynde 

To purge yow, bynethe and eek aboue. 

Forget nat this for Goddes ovvene loue ! 

Ye been ful coleryk of compleccioun ; 4145 

Ware the sonne in his ascencioun 

Ne fynde yovv nat repleet of humours hoote. 

And if it do, I dar wel leye a grote 

That ye shul haue a feuere terciane, 

Or an agu, that may be youre bane. 4150 

A day or two ye shul haue digestyues 

Of wormes, er ye take youre laxatyues 

Of lawriol, centaure and fumetere, 

Or elles of ellebor that grovveth there. 

Of katapuce or of gaitrys beryis, 4155 

Of herbe-yue growyng in oure yeerd ther mery is ; 

Pekke hem vp right as they growe and ete hem yn. 

Be myrie, housbonde ! For youre fader kyn, 

Dredeth no dreem — I kan sey yow namoore ! ' 

' Madame/ quod he, ' graunt mercy of youre loore. 4160 
But natheless, as touchyng daun Catoun, 
That hath of wysdom svvich a greet renoun, 
Though that he bad no dremes for to drede, 
By God, men may in olde bookes rede 
Of many a man moore of auctorite 4165 

Than euer Caton was, so moot I thee, 
That al the reuers seyn of his sentence, 
And han wel founden by experience 

4141. e he gardyn for oure yeerd; Gg Pe two for tho. 4*47- e 
omits nat; e of (Co and) 30ure h.; H4 in h. 4!53- € and of fum. 
4155. Gg gattris; Pe gatvs; H4 gaytre. 4156. Gg Pe or for Of (see 
note)-, Hn Gg that growith; H4 groweb; Hn they for ther and ther 
for they in next verse. 4160. e gramercy (Ln gremercy). e omits 
4163 and inserts Oon of \>e grettest auctor out of drede after 4164. 



£4169-4196] NONNES PREESTES TALE 119 

That dremes been significaciouns 

As wel of Ioye as of tribulaciouns, 4170 

That folk enduren in this lif present. 

Ther nedeth make of this noon argument, 

The verray preeue sheweth it in dede. 

Oon of the gretteste auctour that men rede 
Seith thus : ' That whilom two felawes wente 4175 

On pilgrimage, in a ful good entente. 
And happed so they coomen in a toun, 
Wher as ther was swich congregacioun 
Of peple, and eek so streit of herbergage, 
That they ne founde as muche as o cotage 4180 

In which they bothe myghte y-logged bee. 
Wherfore they mosten of necessitee 
As for that nyght departen compaignye ; 
And ech of hem gooth to his hostelrye, 
And took his loggyng as it wolde falle. 4185 

That oon of hem was logged in a stalle, 
Fer in a yeerd, with oxen of the plough ; 
That oother man was logged wel ynough, 
As was his auenture or his fortune, 
That vs gouerneth alle as in commune. 4190 

And so bifel that longe er it were day, 
This man mette in his bed, ther as he lay, 
How that his felavve gan vpon hym calle, 
And seyde, " Alias ! for in an oxes stalle 
This nyght I shal be mordred ther I lye. 4195 

Now helpe me, deere brother, or I dye ; 

4170. Hn Pe omit 2d of. 4172. e needej? nou^t to m. 4174. Gg 
autorys, H4 auctorite for auctour. 4 I 77- H4 com into; Ln cam 

into; Co camen into: Pe commen into. 4179. e of streight for so 
str. of. 4180. Gg e a, H4 oon for o. 41 81. Gg H4 myght (Gg 

myghe) bothe. ^^S- H4 depart her; e depart of. 4 l 93> e on 
for vpon. 



120 NONNES PPEESTES TALE [B 4197-4225 

In alle haste com to me ! " he seyde. 

This man out of his sleep for feere abrayde ; 
But whan that he was wakened of his sleep, 
He turned hym and took of this no keep; 4200 

Hym thoughte his dreem nas but a vanitee. 
Thus twies in his slepyng dremed hee, 
And atte thridde tyme yet his felawe 
Cam, as hym thoughte, and seide, " I am now slawe ! 
Bihoold my bloody woundes depe and wyde ; 4205 

Arys vp erly in the morwe tyde, 
And at the westgate of the toun," quod he, 
" A carte ful of donge ther shaltow se, 
In which my body is hid ful priuely ; 
Do thilke carte arresten boldely. 4210 

My gold caused my mordre, sooth to sayn." 
And tolde hym euery point how he was slayn, 
With a ful pitous face, pale of hewe. 
And truste wel, his dreem he foond ful trevve ; 
For on the morwe as soone as it was day 4215 

To his felawes In he took the way, 
And whan that he cam to this oxes stalle, 
After his felawe he bigan to calle. 

The hostiler answerede hym anon 
And seyde, " Sire, your felawe is agon ; 4220 

As soone as day he wente out of the toun." 

This man gan fallen in suspecioun, 
Remembrynge on hise dremes that he mette, 
And forth he gooth, no lenger wolde he lette, 
Vnto the westgate of the toun, and fond 4225 



4201. e was nought but (Pe Ln a v.) v. 4202. H4 Ln sleepe for 
slepyng. 4204. € omits and seide ; e yslawe. 4207. Iln atte 
westgate. 4219. a answerde. 4222. e in grete s., H4 Hn in a s. 

4223. Gg Pe rem. hym on; Gg the/or hise. 



^4226-4248] NONNES PREESTES TALE 121 

A dong carte went as it were to donge lond, 

That was arrayed in that same wise 

As ye han herd the dede man deuyse. 

And with an hardy herte he gan to crye 

Vengeance and Iustice of this felonye. 4230 

" My felavve mordred is this same nyght, 

And in this carte heere. he lith gapyng vpright. 

I crye out on the ministres," quod he, 

" That sholden kepe and reulen this citee ! 

Harrow ! alias ! heere lith my felavve slayn ! " ' 4235 

What sholde I moore vnto this tale sayn? 

The peple out sterte and caste the cart to grounde, 

And in the myddel of the dong they founde 

The dede man that mordred was al newe. 

O blisful God, that art so lust and trewe ! 4240 

Lo, how that thou biwreyest mordre alway ! 
Mordre wol out, that se we day by day ; 
Mordre is so wlatsom and abhomynable 
To God, that is so lust and resonable, 
That he ne wol nat suffre it heled be, 4245 

Though it abyde a yeer, or two, or thre. 
Mordre wol out, this my conclusioun. 
And right anon, ministres of that toun 



4226. El omits went; e a d. c. as he wente to d. \>e londe. 4227. H4 
€ J>e for 2d\S\2X. 4232. e omits heere; H4 And in }>is carte he lith 

heer vpright. 4233. Hn omits out. 4233-4238. e omits. {According 
to Six-Text Sh SI2 R02 Har2, other Mss. of Co and Pe groups, also omit 
them ; but not Har3, known to have a second source outside Co group, 
nor R01 known to have a second source in Dd group. It would be 
interesting to know whether the verses are found in the Se and Tci 
groups, but as far as our knowledge goes, it supports the theory that 
the relatio7iship of Mss. worked out by Zupitza for the " Pardoner s 
Tale" holds for the " Nonnes Preesles Tale.") 4237. Hn H 4 Rox 

vp for out. 4247. H4 e >isis for this. 4248. e )>e (Ln J>e same) 
for that. 



122 NONNES PREESTES TALE [.9 4249-4276 

Han hent the carter, and so soore hym pyned, 

And eek the hostiler so soore engyned, 4250 

That they biknewe hir wikkednesse anon, 

And were an-hanged by the nekke bon.' 

Heere may men seen that dremes been to drede. 
And certes in the same book I rede, 
Right in the nexte chapitre after this, — 4255 

I gabbe nat, so haue I joye or blis, — 
Two men that wolde han passed ouer see 
For certeyn cause into a fer contree, 
If that the wynd ne hadde been contrarie, 
That made hem in a citee for to tarie 4260 

That stood ful myrie vpon an hauen syde ;- — 
Bat on a day agayn the euen-tyde 
The wynd gan chaunge, and blew right as hem leste. 
Iolif and glad they wenten vnto reste, " 
And casten hem ful erly for to saille. 4265 

But herkneth ! to that o man fil a greet meruaille : 
That oon of hem in slepyng as he lay, 
Hym mette a wonder dreem agayn the day. 
Him thoughte a man stood by his beddes syde 
And hym comanded that he sholde abyde, 4270 

And seyde hym thus : " If thou tomorwe wende, 
Thou shalt be dreynt, my tale is at an ende." 

He wook, and tolde his felawe what he mette, 
And preyde hym his viage to lette 
As for that day, he preyede hym to byde. 4275 

His felawe that lay by his beddes syde 

4249. e omits so. 4250. e ferre for soore. 4252. e weren h. for 
were an-h. 4255. € I rede of for after. 4256. Co Ln ikfor or. 

4257. e \>efor ouer. 4263. H4 omits blew ; e bio wen (Ln blow) as. 
4264. El wente vnto hir r. ; Gg wente to here. 4266. Co Ln herkne 
) at 00 man fell in gret pereyle; Pe herken how 00 m. f. in gr. perile. 
4274. Gg e for to for to. 4275. a preyde; Gg forto for to. 



^4277"43°5] NONNES PREESTES TALE 12$ 

Gan for to laughe, and scorned him ful faste. 

" No dreem,'' quod he, " may so myn herte agaste, 

That I wol lette for to do my thynges. 

I sette nat a straw by thy dremynges, 4280 

For sweuenes been but vanytees and Iapes. 

Men dreme al day of owles and of apes, 

And of many a maze therwithal ; 

Men dreme of thyng that neuer was ne shal. 

But sith I see that thou wolt heere abyde, 4285 

And thus forslewth^n wilfully thy tyde, 

God woot it revveth me ; and haue good day ! " 

And thus he took his leue, and wente his way. 

But er that he hadde half his cours y-seyled, 

Noot I nat why ne what myschaunce it eyled, 4290 

But casuelly the shippes botme rente, 

And ship and man vnder the water wente 

In sighte of othere shippes it bisyde, 

That with hem seyled at the same tyde ! 

And therefore, faire Pertelote so deere, 4295 

By swiche ensamples olde yet maistow leere 
That no man sholde been to recchelees 
Of dremes ; for I seye thee doutelees, 
That many a dreem ful soore is for to drede. 

Lo, in the lyf of Seint Kenelm I rede, 4300 

That was Kenulphus sone, the noble kyng 
Of Mercenrike, how Kenelm mette a thyng. 
A lite er he was mordred, on a day 
His inordre in his auysioun he say. 
His norice hym expowned euery deel 4305 



4278. e omits so. 4282. a or for and. 4293. Gg omits it; 

H4 ber, Co Pe him, Ln hem for it. 4294. H 4 e him for hem. 

4295. e he seyde for faire. 4302. a, e (Ln Mercenrike) Mertenrike; 
H4 mertinrike; Gg Merturyke. 43°3- H4 lutel he; Co Pe omit he. 



124 NONNES PREESTES TALE [£4306-4334 

His sweuene, and bad hym for to kepe hym weel 

For traisoun. But he nas but seuen yeer oold, 

And therfore litel tale hath he toold 

Of any dreem, so hooly was his herte. 

By God, I hadde leuere than my sherte 4310 

That ye hadde rad his legende as haue I. 

Dame Pertelote, I sey yovv trewely, 

Macrobeus, that writ the auisioun 

In ArTrike of the worthy Cipioun, 

AfTermeth dremes, and seith that they been 4315 

Warnynge of thynges that men after seen ; 

And forther-moore, I pray yow looketh wel 

In the Olde Testament of Daniel, 

If he heeld dremes any vanitee. 

Reed eek of Ioseph, and ther shul ye see 4320 

Wher dremes be somtyme, — I sey nat alle, — 

Warnynge of thynges that shul after falle. 

Looke of Egipte the kyng, daun Pharao, 

His baker and his butiller also, 

Wher they ne felte noon effect in dremes. 4325 

Whoso wol seken actes of son dry remes 

May rede of dremes many a wonder thyng. 

Lo, Cresus, which that was of Lyde kyng, 

Mette he nat that he sat vpon a tree, 

Which signified he sholde anhanged bee? 4330 

Lo heere Andromacha, Ectores wyf, 

That day that Ector sholde lese his lyf, 

She dremed on the same nyght biforn, 

How that the lyf of Ector sholde be lorne, 

4307. Gg from tr. ; Gg € was for nas; e om its 2d but ; H4 for for 1st 
but. 4309. El is/or was. 431 1. e herde (Ln omits) for rad. 4314. 
Gg e Ciprioun. 4318. e omits In. 4319. e of any v. 4321. H4 
e whe\>\r for wher. 



^4335~43 62 ] NONNES PREESTES TALE \2$ 

If thilke day he wente into bataille. 4335 

She warned hym, but it myghte nat auaille ; 

He wente for to fighte natheles, 

But he was slayn anon of Achilles. 

But thilke tale is al to longe to telle, 

And eek it is ny day, I may nat dwelle. 4340 

Shortly I seye, as for conclusioun, 

That I shal han of this auisioun 

Adversitee ; and I seye forthermoor, 

That I ne telle of laxatyues no stoor, 

For they been venymes, I woot it weel ; 4345 

I hem diffye, I loue hem neuer a deel ! 

Now let us speke of myrthe, and stynte al this. 
Madame Pertelote, so haue I blis, 
Of o thyng God hath sent me large grace ; 
For whan I se the beautee of youre face, 4350 

Ye been so scarlet reed aboute your yen, 
It maketh al my drede for to dyen, 
For also siker as In principio, 
Mulier est hominis confusio, — 

Madame, the sentence of this Latyn is, 4355 

" Worn man is mannes joye, and al his blis " ; 
For whan I feele a-nyght your softe syde, 



I am so ful of joye and of solas, 4360 

That I diffye bothe svveuene and dreem.' 
And with that word he fly doun fro the beem, 

4338. Hn And for But; e o??iits anon (Co of oon A.). 4339- El 
forto telle. 4343- e Of aduersitees. 4344- Co nel, Pe ne wil, Ln 

will for ne. 4345. e right for it. 4349- H4 Ln hath me sent; Co 
me ha> sent. 435 1. Mss. eyen. 4352. Hn Gg H4 Co Ln deyen. 
4360. H4 e omits 2d of. 4362. Hn Gg fley; H4 Co fleigh; Pe fleegh; 
Ln flie>. 



126 NOsVNES PREESTES TALE [^4363-4390 

For it was day, and eke hise hennes alle. 

And with a chuk he gan hem for to calle, 

For he hadde founde a corn lay in the yerd. 4365 

Real he was, he was namoore aferd, 



He looketh as it were a grym leoun, 

And on hise toos he rometh vp and doun ; 4370 

Hym deigned nat to sette his foot to grounde. 

He chukketh whan he hath a corn y-founde, 

And to hym rennen thanne hise wyues alle. 

Thus roial as a prince is in an halle, 

Leue I this Chauntecleer in his pasture, - 4375 

And after wol I telle his auenture. 

Whan that the monthe in which the world bigan, 
That highte March, whan God first maked man, 
Was compleet, and passed were also, 
Syn March bigan, thritty dayes and two, 4380 

Bifel that Chauntecleer in al his pryde, 
Hise seuene wyues walkynge him bisyde, 
Caste vp hise eyen to the brighte sonne 
That in the signe of Taurus hadde y-ronne 
Twenty degrees and oon, and som-what moore, 4385 
And knew by kynde, and by noon oother loore, 
That it was pryme, and crew with blisful steuene. 
' The sonne,' he seyde, ' is clomben vp on heuene 
Fourty degrees and oon, and moore y-wis. 
Madame Pertelote, my worldes blis, 4390 

4366. c omits 2d he was. 437°- 6 romed. 437 1. H4 Gg 

deyneth. 4372. Hn H4 And, e Ay for He. 4373- € ratine. 

4374. Hn H4 e his for an. 4376. e of his au. 4380. H4 tway 
monies and dayes tuo. 4382. El by his syde for him bisyde. 

4384. e was for hadde. 4386. e He knew. 4389. Gg 90, H4 
Twenty for Fourty. 



^4391-4417] NONNES PREESTES TALE \2J 

Herkneth thise blisful briddes how they synge, 

And se the fresshe floures how they sprynge ; 

Ful is myn herte of reuel and solas ! ' 

But sodeynly hym fil a sorweful cas ; 

For ' euer the latter ende of ioye is wo.' 4395 

God woot that worldly ioye is soone ago, 

And if a rethor koude faire endite, 

He in a cronycle saufly myghte it write, 

As for a souereyn notabilitee. 

Now euery wys man, lat him herkne me ; 4400 

This storie is al so trewe, I vndertake, 

x\s is the book of Launcelot de Lake, 

That wommen holde in ful greet reuerence. 

Now wol I torne agayn to my sentence. 

A colfox ful of sly iniquitee 4405 

That in the groue hadde wormed yeres three, 
By heigh ymaginacioun forn-cast, 
The same nyght thurgh-out the hegges brast 
Into the yerd ther Chauntecleer the faire 
Was wont, and eek his wyues, to repaire. 4410 

And in a bed of wortes stille he lay, 
Til it was passed undren of the day, 
Waitynge his tyme on Chauntecleer to falle ; 
As gladly doon thise homycides alle 
That in await liggen to mordre men. 4415 

O false mordrour lurkynge in thy den ! 
O newe Scariot, newe Genyloun ! 



4391. e Herkne how h>ese blisful briddes synge. 4395* e sone ago 
for wo. 4396. e And comunly often tyme it failed so. 4398. e 
in a (Pe omits a) cr. (Co. Cronique) mighte saufly write; H4 hem a 
cronique s. m. he wr. 4400. Gg now for lat h.; e omits lat h. 

4403. H 4 huld; Gg Co Ln heelde. 4404. El come for torne. 
4405. e ful (Pe omits) of sleighte and i.; Hn sley; H4 ful sleigh of. 
4416. e roukyng for lurkynge. 



128 NONNES PREESTES TALE [.£4418-4445 

False dissymulour, Greek Synoun, 
That broghtest Troye al outrely to sorwe ! 

Ohauntecleer, acursed be that morvve, 4420 
That thou into that yerd flaugh fro the bemes ! 

Thou were ful wel y-warned by thy dremes 

That thilke day was perilous to thee. 

But what that God forwoot moot nedes bee 

After the opinioun of certein clerkis. 4425 

Witnesse on hym that any parfit clerk is, 

That in scole is greet altercacioun 

In this mateere, and greet disputisoun, 

And hath been of an hundred thousand men. 

But I ne kan nat bulte it to the bren, - 4430 

As kan the hooly doctour Augustyn, 

Or Boece, or the bisshop Bradwardyn, 

Wheither that Goddes worthy forwityng 

Streyneth me nedely to doon a thyng, — 

' Nedely ' clepe I symple necessitee, — 4435 

Or elles if free choys be graunted me 

To do that same thyng, or do it noght, 

Though God forwoot it er that it was wroght ; 

Or if his wityng streyneth neuer a deel, 

But by necessitee condicioneel. 4440 

1 wil nat han to do of svvich mateere, 
My tale is of a cok, as ye may heere, 
That took his conseil of his wyf with sorwe, 
To walken in the yerd vpon that morwe 

That he hadde met that dreem that I yow tolde. 4445 

4421. Hn H 4 e (Pe omits) \>efor that. 4422. El dreme. 4424. e bat 
l?at (Co Ln bat at) god afore wot. 4426. H4 e omit parfit. 4428. Gg 
Pe Ln disputacioun. 4430. Pe Ln omit nat. 4433- H4 Gg Co 

Whethir; Pe Whedere; Ln Webere ; e wille afore w. for worthy forw. 
4434. El nedefully to d. 4436. e if be free. 4437- H4 Co L nor to do. 
4439, H4 e oi for if. 4444. H4 e ]>efor that. 4445. El of for yow. 



B 4446-4474] NONNES PREESTES TALE N 1 29 

' Wommennes conseils been ful ofte colde ' ; 

Wotnmannes conseil broghte us first to wo 

And made Adam fro Paradys to go, 

Ther as he was ful myrie and wel at ese. 

But for I noot to whom it myght displese 4450 

If I conseil of worn men wolde blame, 

Passe ouer, for I seyde it in my game. 

Rede auctours where they trete of swich mateere, 

And what they seyn of wommen ye may heere ; 

Thise been the cokkes wordes and nat myne, 4455 

I kan noon harm of no worn man diuyne ! 

Faire in the soond to bathe hir myrily 
Lith Pertelote, and alle hire sustres by, 
Agayn the sonne, and Chauntecleer so free 
Soong murier than the mermayde in the see — 4460 
(For Phisiologus seith sikerly, 
How that they syngen wel and myrily). 

And so bifel that as he cast his ye 
Among the wortes, on a boterflye, 
He was war of this fox that lay ful lowe. 4465 

Nothyng ne liste hym thanne for to crowe, 
But cride anon, ' Cok, cok ! ' and vp he sterte 
As man that was affrayed in his herte. 
For naturelly a beest desireth flee 

Fro his contrarie, if he may it see, 4470 

Though he neuer erst hadde seyn it with his ye. 

This Chauntecleer whan he gan hym espye, 
He wolde han fled, but that the fox anon 
Seyde, ( Gentil sire, alias ! wher wol ye gon? 

4448. El out of for fro. 4450. Gg Pe Ln I for it. 4452. El 

seye. 4454. Hn Pe Ln omit ye may. 4461. e witterly for sikerly. 
4463. a eye; Gg yen. 4469. e to fie. 447 1. a eye; e hadde 

seye it erst. 4474- Gg whidyr, H4 why for wher; Co Ln what 
wol )e doon; Pe what hast ]?ou don. 



130 NONNES PREESTES TALE [£4475-4502 

Be ye affrayed of me that am youre freend ? 4475 

Now, certes, I were worse than a feend, 

If I to yow wolde harm or vileynye. 

I am nat come your conseil for tespye, 

But trewely the cause of my comynge 

Was oonly for to herkne how that ye synge. 4480 

For trewely, ye haue as myrie a steuene 

As any aungel hath that is in heuene. 

Therwith ye han in musyk moore feelynge 

Than hadde Boece, or any that kan synge. 

My lord youre fader, — God his soule blesse ! 4485 

And eek youre mooder, of hire gentillesse, 

Han in myn hous y-been to my greet ese, 

And certes, sire, ful fayn wolde I yow plese. 

But for men speke of syngyng, I wol seye, — 

So moote I brouke wel myne eyen tweye, — 4490 

Saue yow, I herde neuer man so synge 

As dide youre fader in the morwenynge. 

Certes, it was of herte al that he song ; 

And for to make his voys the moore strong, 

He wolde so peyne hym that with bothe his yen 4495 

He moste wynke, so loude he wolde cryen, 

And stonden on his tiptoon therwithal, 

And strecche forth his nekke, long and smal. 

And eek he was of swich discrecioun 

That ther nas no man in no regioun 4500 

That hym in song or wisdom myghte passe. 

I haue wel rad in " Daun Burnel the Asse " 



4476. H4 omits Now; H4 any for a; e certes sire ben (Ln hat) be 
}2 vnheende. 4482. El omits hath. 4483. Co Ln Fhysik for musyk. 
44S9. El wol yow seye. 4490. e omits wel. 4491. El herde I; 
e ne herde; El yet for so. 4495- <* Gg Co eyen. 4496. Gg 

muste; e dide for wolde. 4501. El wisedom. 4502. e omits in. 



^45°3-4530 NONNES PREESTES TALE 131 

Among his vers, how that ther was a cok, 

For that a preestes sone yaf hym a knok 

Vpon his leg whil he was yong and nyce, 4505 

He made hym for to lese his benefice. 

But certeyn, ther nys no comparisoun 

Bitwixe the wisedom and discrecioun 

Of youre fader and of his subtiltee. 

Now syngeth, sire, for seinte charitee; 4510 

Lat se konne ye youre fader countrefete.' 

This Chauntecleer his wynges gan to bete, 
As man that koude his traysoun nat espie, 
So was he rauysshed with his flaterie. 

Alias, ye lordes, many a fals flatour 4515 

Is in youre courtes, and many a losengeour, 
That plesen yow wel moore, by my feith, 
Than he that soothfastnesse vnto yow seith — 
Redeth Ecclesiaste " Of Flaterye," — 
Beth war, ye lordes, of hir trecherye. 4520 

This Chauntecleer stood hye vp on his toos 
Strecchynge his nekke, and heeld his eyen cloos, 
And gan to crowe loude for the nones. 
And daun Russell, the fox, stirte vp atones, 
And by the gargat hente Chauntecleer, 4525 

And on his bak toward the wode hym beer ; 
For yet ne was ther no man that hym sewed. 

O destinee, that mayst nat been eschewed ! 
Alas, that Chauntecleer fleigh fro the bemes ! 
Alias his wyf ne roghte nat of dremes ! — 4530 

And on a Friday fil al this meschaunce ! 



4503. e omits how that. 4510. Pe Ln seint 4515. Gg Ln 
flaterour. 4524. Gg at at anys; e al at oones. 4525. e gargage 
(Ln gorge). 45 2 7- Gg theere ne was, e was \>er for ne w. th. 

4529. Hn fly, e Mfor fleigh. 4531. e fell. 



132 NONNES PREESTES TALE [£4532-4559 

O Venus, that art goddesse of plesaunce, 
Syn that thy seruant was this Chauntecleer, 
And in thy seruyce dide al his poweer 
Moore for delit than world to multiplye, 4535 

Why woldestow suffre hym on thy day to dye? 

O Gaufred, deere maister souerayn, 
That, whan thy worthy kyng Richard was slayn 
With shot, compleynedest his deeth so soore ! 
Why ne hadde I now thy sentence and thy loore 4540 
The Friday for to chide, as diden ye ? — 
For on a Friday, soothly, slayn was he. 
Thanne wolde I shewe yow how that I koude pleyne 
For Chauntecleres drede, and for his peyne. 

Certes, swich cry, ne lamentacioun, 4545 

Was neuer of ladyes maad whan Yliotin 
Was wonne and Pirrus with his streite swerd, 
Whan he hadde hent kyng Priam by the berd, 
And slayn hym, as seith vs Eneydos, 
As maden alle the hennes in the clos, 4550 

When they had seyn of Chauntecleer the sighte. 
But souereynly dame Pertelote shrighte, 
Ful louder than dide Hasdrubales wyf, 
Whan that hir housbonde hadde lost his lyf, 
And that the Romayns hadde brend Cartage. 4555 

She was so ful of torment and of rage 
That wilfully in to the fyr she sterte, 
And brende hirseluen with a stedefast herte. 

O woful hennes, right so criden ye, 



4534. Gg Co dede. 4535- € b e world. 4536. El woltest. 

4541. H4 Gg Co Ln dedyn. 4542. e schortly for soothly. 4544. e 
omits drede. 4548. H4 c omit hadde. 4549. e seyde for s. vs. 
4552. El sodeynly. 4553- e Hasdrubaldes (Ln Esdr.). 4554* Hn 
Ggylost. 4557* Hn vnto. 



^45 6 °-45^4] NONNES FREES TES TALE 1 33 

As whan that Nero brende the citee 4560 

Of Rome, cryden the senatoures wyues 
For that hir husbondes losten alle hir lyues ; 
Withouten gilt this Nero hath hem slayn. 
Now wol I torne to my tale agayn. 

The sely wydwe and eek hir doghtres two 4565 

Herden thise hennes crie and maken wo, 
And out at dores stirten they anon, 
And seyen the fox toward the groue gon, 
And bar vpon his bak the cok away, 
And cryden, ' Out ! ' ' Harrow ! ' and ' Weylaway ! ' 4570 
1 Ha ! ' ' Ha ! ' ' The fox ! ' and after hym they ran, 
And eek with staues many another man. 
Ran Colle, oure dogge, and Talbot, and Gerland 
And Malkyn with a dystaf in hir hand \ 
Ran cow and calf, and eek the verray hogges, 4575 

For-fered for berkynge of the dogges 
And shoutyng of the men and wommen eek ; 
They ronne so hem thoughte hir herte breek. 
They yelleden as feendes doon in helle ; 
The dokes cryden as men wolde hem quelle ; 4580 

The gees for feere flowen ouer the trees ; 
Out of the hyue cam the swarm of bees. 
So hydous was the noys, a benedicitee I 
Certes, he Jakke Straw, and his meynee, 



4561. El Gg omit the. 45^2. e schulde leese for losten alle. 

4563. € omits this. 4565. El e This for The; e omits eek. 4566. e 
};e h. 4567. Gg e out at the; e dore. 4568. El sven; H4 sayden; 
Co Ln sawe; Pe segh. 4571. e A Ha. 45 72. Gg stonys for 

staues. 4573- € omits 1st and. 4574- e hire d. 4575- El 

omits eek. 45 76. a So fered; H4 So were \>ey fered for b. of d. ; 

e sore aferde. 4577. e omits the. 457$. H4 Gg so (H4 fat for so) 
lay \>. her h.-breke; e her h. \>ey \>. to breke for hem thoughte etc.; 
H4 e breke ( : eke 4577). 4580 to end. Leaf out in Gg. 4581, 

4582. e reverses order of these two verses. 



134 NONNES PREESTES TALE [£4585-4612 

Ne made neuer shoutes half so shrille, 4585 

Whan that they wolden any Flemyng kille, 

As thilke day was maad vp on the fox. 

Of bras they broghten bemes, and of box, 

Of horn, of boon, in whiche they blewe and powped, 

And thervvithal they skriked and they howped. 4590 

It semed as that heuene sholde falle. 

Now, goode men, I pray yow herkneth alle ; 
Lo, how Fortune turneth sodeynly 
The hope and pryde eek of hir enemy ! 
This cok that lay vpon the foxes bak 4595 

In al his drede vnto the fox he spak, 
And seyde, l Sire, if that I were as ye, 
Yet sholde I seyn, as wys God helpe me, 
" Turneth agayn, ye proude cherles alle ! 
A verray pestilence vpon yow falle ; 4600 

Now am I come vnto the wodes syde ; 
Maugree youre heed the cok shal heere abyde, 
I wol hym ete in feith, and that anon ! " ' 

The fox answerde, ' In feith, it shal be don.' 
And as he spak that word, al sodeynly 4605 

This cok brak from his mouth delyuerly, 
And heighe upon a tree he fleigh anon. 
And whan the fox saugh that he was gon, 

1 Alias ! ' quod he, i O Chauntecleer, alias ! 
I haue to yow,' quod he, ' y-doon trespas, 4610 

In as muche as I maked yow aferd, 
Whan I yow hente and broght out of the yerd. 

4589. e and boon ; e omits blewe and. 459°- € an d (Co and 

\>ey) schoutid. 4594- El omits eek; H4 enuy for enemy; e and 
eek \>e (Pe omits) pruyde of here enuye. 4598. El wolde I. 

4605. Hn e omit as; H4 And whil he sp. 4608. H4 I-gon. 

4610. e I haue, quod he, don to yow tr. (Co Ln a tr.). 4612. a into 

this y. 



j5 4613-4636] NONNES PREESTES TALE 1 35 

But, sire, I dide it in no wikke entente. 

Com doun, and I shal telle yow what I mente ; 

I shal seye sooth to yow, God help me so !' 4615 

' Nay thanne,' quod he, ' I shrewe vs bothe two, 
And first I shrewe myself, bothe blood and bones, 
If thou bigyle me ofter than ones. 
Thou shalt na moore thurgh thy flaterye 
Do me to synge and wynke with myn ye, - 4620 

For he that wynketh whan he sholde see 
Al wilfully, God lat him neuer thee ! ' 

6 Nay,' quod the fox, ' but God yeue hym meschaunce, 
That is so vndiscreet of gouernaunce 
That iangleth whan he sholde holde his pees.' 4625 

Lo, swich it is for to be recchlees 
And necligent, and truste on flaterye. 

But ye that holden this tale a folye, — 
As of a fox, or of a cok and hen, — 
Taketh the moralitee, goode men. 4630 

For Seint[e] Paul seith al that writen is, 
To oure doctrine it is y-write y-wis ; 
Taketh the fruyt and lat the chaf be stille. 
Now, goode God, if that it be thy wille, 
As seith my lord, so make vs alle goode men, 4635 

And brynge vs alle to his heigh e blisse ! Amen. 

Heere is ended the bonnes Preestes Tale. 



4613. El of for in. 4615. Co I schal }ou seye sob; Pe Ln omit to 
yow. 4618. a H4 any ofter. 4619. e wij? for thurgh. 4620. a 

Ln eye. 4622. e As wisly. 4625. e haue p. for holde his pees. 

4627. e trusteth. 4629. e and of (Co o?nits) an hen. 4631. H4 

a seith j?at. 4633. e leteh 4636. a omits alle; H4 Pe omit heighe. 



NOTES 









NOTES 



X 



I. Whan that is the usual stress arrangement in M.E; see § 258 
(a). For soote, see §§ 64, 81 (b). shoures : the aw-sound in the 
corresponding N.E. word shows that the apparent diphthong here is 
u, see §§ 20, 77 (2) ; so in the case of droghte 2 (for spelling, see 
§ 6), flour ^fowles 9, Southwerk 20, deuout 22, oure 34, etc. 

3. swich licour of which vertu, see § 210. licour : the ^w in the 
corresponding N.E. word is due to an imitation of the spelling of Lat. 
liquor ; the ou is u as in seson 19 (for spelling, see § 6), resoun 37, 
condicioun 38, honour 36. Similarly, wherever the corresponding N.E. 
word has the sound ? in place of the M.E. ou, the M.E. ou represents u. 

4. vertu. Here u = u, see §§ 21, 39; so in nature II, auenture 25. 

5. The west wind is frequently thus associated with the spring in 
English poetry, breeth, which should historically have e (O.E. breed, 
O.H.G. prddam), see § 66, Note 4, here rhymes with heeth, which has 
I (O.E. hied, cp. Ger. heide) ; cp. § 274 (1). 

7. yonge : because just beginning to run through the Zodiac, whose 
first course was Aries, covering the last half of March and the first half 
of April, yonge sonne : the corresponding N.E. words have the sound 
d in their accented syllables (see § 19, and compare longen 12), and 
therefore these are cases where N.E. u is written before m or n, or 
after w or c. So in the case oi yronne 8, sondry 14, come 23, worthy 43, 
lotted ^. 

8. cours : here ou = u- t N.E. course is from another M.E. form of 
the word, viz. cors. 

13. palmer es were a sort of professional pilgrim in Chaucer's day. 

14. To feme halwes, etc., is usually taken with goon. But a prepo- 
sitional clause frequently precedes its verb in Chaucer : cf. 82, 8^, 
no, 158; cf., too, F. 738, j 

But atte laste she for his worthynesse, 
And naifiely for his meke obeysaunce, 
Hath swich a pitee caught of his penaunce, etc* 
139 



140 NOTES 

14. kowthe : ow=i7; N.E. uncouth anomalously preserves the u 
sound. So with trouthe 46, and yow 38. 

17. The ' blessed martyr ' was Thomas a Becket, whose shrine was 
at Canterbury. 

For rhyme seke : seeke, see § 278. 

Seke in M.E. is frequently associated with worship; cf. Romaunt of 
the Rose, 6241. 

Hooly wymmen 
That men i?i cherchis herie and seke. 

I— 18. These introductory verses have in them the very breath of the 
springtime. Note the associations: the pleasant showers, the soft 
west wind, the budding shoots, the singing birds, with a hint of spring 
love longing, the desire to travel through the green fields (German 
wajider-lusf), the grateful feeling of recovery from winter sicknesses. 
Note, too, the dancing, sinuous rhythm. In reading the passage 
special care should be taken to catch the secondary stresses: — 

' " x ' x " x 'x 'x 
I. Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote 
x ' x " x " x 'x ' 

5. Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth 

"xx ' x 'x n x ' x 
8. Hath in the Ram his halue cours yronne 

x in n x * x 1 x ' x 

13. And Palmeres for to seken straunge strondes 

x 1 x a x i x a x 1 x 
16. Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende 

x a x 1 x a x a x i x 
18. That hem hath holpen whan that they were seke 

19. Bifil, see §§ 163, 188. on a day, l one day,' see § 117. 

21. Redy to wen den, etc., see § 258 (a). 

22. with ful deuout cor age, * with a very devout heart,' gives a 
personal interest to Chaucer's narrative. It may be that he himself 
had suffered from an illness, and was making, his pilgrimage in conse- 
quence of a vow. 

24. Wei nyne, etc., see § 228. 

27. wolden, * intended,' a frequent meaning of the M.E. auxiliary. 

29. atte beste, see §§ 87, 115 (e) ; * in the best manner possible.' 

30. was to reste, ' had set.' The ellipsis of gon in such expressions 
is common; cf. 2637, where the full form of the phrase occurs. 



NOTES 141 

31. spoken. Evidences of Chaucer's winning powers of conversation 
appear all through the Prologue. Note how, in his descriptions of the 
various members of the company, he represents the peculiar point of 
view and phraseology of each; cf., e.g., 183. 

^. made, see § 188. 

34. ther — thither, deayse has a shade of future meaning; hence 
"Chaucer considers 35 ff. as a digression. 

37. Me thynketh, etc., cf. similar expression in 2207. 

40. whiche, 'what sort of persons,' see § 211. 

43. and that, see § 203. 

44. That . . , he, see § 206. 

45. To riden out, * to travel.' Out in the sense of l abroad,' 'in 
foreign lands,' is still used in Shakspere's time ; cf. Lear, I. 1. 25, 
' He hath been out nine years.' Such words as chiualrie : curteisie, 
which had -ie in O.Fr. (Lat. -id), preserved the dissyllabic ending 
in e.M.E., and in Chaucer rhyme only with such English words as 
have -ie historically. They therefore do not rhyme with words in -y, 
like worthy in 43. There are a few intentional exceptions in the 
Rime of Sir Topas : e.g. Gy : chivalry, B 2092, where the poet is 
seeking to give the " Romance " flavor to his verse. This rhyme habit 
is a convenient criterion for distinguishing Chaucer's poetry from con- 
temporary Northern verse, where it is not observed, and from the poetry 
of the immediate imitators of Chaucer, e.g. Hoccleve and Lydgate, 
who are careless about it, though some of his later fifteenth century 
imitators follow his practice. 

46. Note the double reversal of rhythm; see § 258 (a), (b). 

48. thertG, i.e. in addition to his service for his sovereign, riden 
is a general expression for travelling. It is often associated with go, ' to 
walk,' in the phrase ride or go as a sort of generic expression; literally 
" travelling a-horseback or travelling a-foot." For ferre, see § 125. 

49. as in hethenesse, see § 259 (c). 

50. And euere honoured, etc., ' and had always been held in high 
esteem for his bravery.' For omitted verb, see § 214; for rhythm, see 
§268. 

52. i.e. this English knight had sat at the head of the table (cf. 
N.E.D. begin, 5) at the state banquets of the Knights of the Teutonic 
Order ('inPruce '), taking precedence of all the other foreign knights. 
In the fourteenth century Natio was used to denote the various divi- 
sions of foreign students at Paris and Vienna, according to the coun- 



142 NOTES 

tries from which they came. The O.Fr. word was similarly used to 
refer to foreign residents (Godefroy, Dictionnaire, Complement., na- 
cion). Possibly nacioun (for the Ellesmere spelling, see § 6) had 
some such use among the Knights of the Teutonic Order. 

54. Lettow (Lithuania), Pruce (Prussia), and Ruce (Russia) were 
the countries of ' hethenessej which were the usual scene of the cam- 
paigns of the Teutonic Knights. 

60. armee, an expedition by sea; cf. N.E.D. army, 1. The arriue, 
* disembarkation,' which Skeat and many editors take from H4, is not 
found in English in this sense. 

62. Such combats with Saracen knights were not uncommon in 
Chaucer's time. 

66. i.e. here, as at Tramyssene, the adversary of the Sire de la 
Palice and our knight was a Saracen. 

67. * And ever after had enjoyed a high renown.' In M.E. souereyn 
prys has a peculiar use in reference to chivalry, expressing the high- 
est honor and glory of knighthood; e.g. " and tell of me no prys" 
Fierumbras, 173. 

69. as is a mayde. Chaucer uses this expression to describe the 
shyness of the Oxford student in E 2. 

72. gentil, * noble'; not N.E. * gentle'; cf. N.E.D., s.v. I. 

73. for to tellen, see § 216. 

74. His hors, etc. hors is plural; see § 100. gay means 'gayly 
dressed'; see N.E.D., gay, A. 4. The knight is not contrasted with 
his horses, though that is the meaning often given to the passage, and 
the reading of Hn, H4, is therefore sometimes selected so as to bring 
stress upon he; * but'' is almost equivalent to ' though.' 

ft x f 

76. For scansion see § 260 {Jiabergeoun is so stressed). The knight's 
dress still showed the marks of the coat of mail he had lately worn. 
In the stress of battle he had made a vow to go on a pilgrimage to 
Canterbury if he got safely out of it, and he was now fulfilling the vow 
at his first opportunity without waiting to go home and change his 
raiment. 

81. as they were leyd in presse, 'as if they had been put in a press' 
seems to be the meaning. In Troilus, I. 559 (Gl. Ch., p. 446) we have 

" God saue hem that biseged han our toun, 
That so can leye our Iolite on presse 
And bring our lusty folk to holinesse" 



NOTES I43 

82. Of twenty yeer, etc. In N.E. the of is omitted with numerals; 
in M.E. it is the common idiom ; cf. * He hath a sparth of twenty 
pound of weight? 2520. Yeer is plural; see § 100. 

&$. of euene lengthe, ' of proper height,' not ' of medium height.' 
Translate : ' his figure was well proportioned.' 

84. of greet strengthe. Most editors patch the text here with the 
reading from H4, greet of strength. But of greet strengthe makes good 
sense, and is paralleled just below in 137. 

86. i.e. in the Low Countries between the Schelde and the Somme. 
But space refers to time rather than to place, the squire being only 
twenty. 

88. lady grace, cf. § 97 (a). 

89. as it were, i as if he had been,' ' like.' 

100. Carving was one of the regular duties of a well-bred young 
gentleman in Chaucer's time. 

10 1. There were four grades of knightly service, as we learn from 
Sir Amadas : — 

" Knyght, Sqwyar, Yomon, or Knaue, 
Non with hym he broght." 

— Weber, Metr. Rom., III., p. 270. 

" Knyjte, squiere, 3oman, and knaue, 
Iche mon in thayre degre." 

— Robson, Three Metr. Rom., p. 47. 

So the first he must refer to the knight, not the squire. 

104. Pecok arwes were arrows feathered with peacock feathers. 
That they were of fine workmanship we learn from v. 107. Ascham's 
Toxophilus (Arber's Reprint, p. 129) explains what Chaucer means by 
the adjective /owe ; — 

" Now to looke on the fedders of all maner of birdes, you shal se 
some so lowe " (i.e. lying close to the rib) " weke, and shorte, some so 
course, stoore, and hard, and the rib so crickle thin and narrow that it 
can nether be drawen, pared, nor yet well set on." 

And on p. 132 we get the meaning of droupe : — 

" But in a weake fether you must leave a thicker ribbe or els yf the 
ryb ... be taken to nere the fether, it must nedes folowe that the 
fether shall faule and ' droupe ' downe." 



144 NOTES 

115. For omission of predicate, see § 214. 

120. By seinte Loy. The reference is to St. Eligius, the patron saint 
of goldsmiths and farriers. Professor Hale's explanation that Chaucer 
here refers to the story of St. Eligius' refusal to take an oath, and 
means to say that the Prioress did not swear at all, is probably the 
correct one. 

121. Madame Eglentyne, i.e. 'My Lady Sweet-Briar.' 

123. Entuned, i.e. chanted, ' hummed.' It was one of the duties of 
the chauntress " by kallyng ouer from 00 syde to another as # nede is, 
to entune to the abbes softly alle the antems that she is to begyn in 
double festes or oth^r. Euery oth^r wyke the quyer shal vary, so that 
it be on the abbesse syde 00 wyke, and on the prioress another wyke." 
Afirrour of Our Lady, E.E.T.S., p. xxxvii. 

125. In this verse Chaucer merely intends to say that the Prioress 
spoke the Anglo-French of the Benedictine nunnery at Stratford le 
Bow, and not the Parisian French, which he as a diplomat was familiar 
with. 

134. sine is the O.E. adj. gesene (here without the y-), which 
eventually took the place of the regular participle of seon, viz. gesegen, 
M.E. yseyn. Chaucer still distinguishes the two, using the adjective 
only after the verb substantive; in other cases he uses yseyn (there i; 
no M.E. perfect participle seen). The rhyme dene (O.E. clce?te) : 
sine (O.E. gesene) is that of open e with close i. 

137. of greet desport, i.e. full of fun. 

139. peyned hire, 'she took pains (subject omitted) to imitate court 
manners.' The merchant also affects a stately demeanor, v. 281. 

140. estatlich probably represents statlich ; cf. 281, B 3902, T. and C. 
V. 823, Leg. 1372, where it is written staately. 

146. Of sma/e houndes, see § 192. 

147. i.e. fine white bread from the table, not the coarse bread usually 
given to dogs. 

148. The Mss. reading wepie (wk. pret. subj.) is here retained 
because the weak form of the verb was undoubtedly in use by Chaucer, 
and weep does not remove the difficulty; for we must have the sub- 
junctive here (cf. § 221), and its strong form is wepe. If the line is to 
be amended, it would be better to omit the subject she. Read wepte, 
and scan according to § 259 (a). 

150. And al was, etc., 'and she was all,' etc. For the omission of 
the subject see § 188. 



NOTES 145 

152. tretys, 'well shaped.' Cf. Rom. of Rose, English version, v. 
1216 (Gl. Ch., p. 672), which Chaucer probably had in mind. 

164. and Preestes thre. If the Prioress had three priests with her, 
the Canterbury pilgrims numbered thirty, not twenty-nine, as stated in 
v. 14. Moreover, the title of the tale assigned to the Nonnes Preest, and 
the prefixed prologue, point to but one priest in this capacity. Dr. 
Furnivall has shown that a Prioress might have several attendant priests, 
so this latter difficulty is removed. Of the various expedients resorted 
to in order to escape these difficulties none is quite satisfactory. The 
easiest supposition is that Chaucer was here guilty of slight inadver- 
tency, and wrote the words as we have them in all the Mss. 

167. manly, 'handsome,' not 'manly.' 

170. For rhythm see § 260 (a). The reference is to the bells worn 
on the bridle-rein. 

175. The usual pointing supposes a violent anacoluthon after 174, 
taking leet pace together as meaning ' let go.' lat is here taken abso- 
lutely, 'fail to take,' 'neglect,' a usual M.E. meaning of the word, and 
olde thinges pace a parenthetical justification of Chaucer's by a sly 
allusion to 2 Cor. v. 17. The caesuras in both El and Hn follow 
Monk, but these scribes may have misunderstood the verse as the scribe 
of H4 did. The secondary stress on leet is not unusual, cf. e.g. v. 274. 

178 ff. The first of Chaucer's ' texts ' has not yet been found, though 
allusions to the impiety and wickedness of hunting abbots are common 
in mediaeval literature. The second is very old, and is found in patristic 
literature as early as the fifth century, recchelees seems to have a- 
peculiar meaning here, ' careless of regulations,' so that Chaucer has to 
explain what he means in vv. 181, 182. Various emendations have 
been suggested, ' rewlelees] ' cloysterless ' of H4, ' recetless? i.e. refuge- 
less, but no emendation is necessary in view of w. 181, 182. 

183. " And I told him his view of the matter was entitled to serious 
consideration. Why should he study or drive himself mad by con- 
tinually poring over a book in his cloister [a sly hint at the monk's 
stupidity], or work and toil at manual tasks [a thrust at his laziness] ? 
The world has need of all kinds of men; St. Austin can work all he has 
a mind to [manual labor being an important item in the Benedictine 
and Augustinian rules]. And so he was a keen sportsman [serving the 
world in that capacity] etc." This passage is an excellent illustration of 
Chaucer's humor, which usually contains an element of veiled irony slyly 
interjected by the turn of a phrase or the use of a suggestive word — 
L 



I46 NOTES 

x 
here in the stress : And I [you might not have been so liberal, gentle 

x ' x " x ' 
reader] seyde his opinioun [as well as the i sentence'' or ' 'iuggemenV of 

the fathers — notice the subtle difference between opinioun, ' view of a 
case' and such a word as 'sentence'] was good [i.e. worthy of serious 
consideration]. 

193. I seighy *\ noticed.' 

194. the fyneste of a lond, ' the best that could be had.' 

210. the ordres foure were (1) the Dominicans, named from Dominic 
de Guzman, their founder, called also the Black Friars from their dress, 
and Jacobites from the church of St. James in Paris, where they were 
first established, and Preaching Friars (Fratres Predicatores) from their 
occupation; (2) the Franciscans, or Gray Friars, or Minorite Friars, 
followers of St. Francis of Assisi; (3) The Carmelite or White Friars, 
an order founded on Mount Carmel in 1156; (4) the Augustinian 
order, which Chaucer alludes to above. The fact that the initials of 
the ordres foure (Carmelite, Austin, Iacobite, Minorite) made out the 
word CAIM (the mediaeval form of Cain) was a common mediaeval jest. 

" Nou se the so the whedre it be svva 
That frer Cannes come of a K, 
That frer Austynes come of A, 

Frer Iacobynes of I; 
Of M comen the frer Menours : 
Thus grounded Caym thes four ordours." 

Wright, Political Poems, I. 266. 

This may help the student to remember their names. 

212. i.e. had made good matches for women who had been his 
concubines. 

225-232. Humorously reflects the friar's own reasoning, as 183 ff, 
reflects the monk's. 

227. For if he yaf ' for if a man gave something, ... he knew 
that he,' etc.; cf. § 200. 

247. See §§ 233, 260 (a). 

254. In principio (erat verbum, John i. 1) was a text constantly 
on the lips of the begging friars, cf. 

" For ye win more by yeare with In principio than with all the rules 
that ever your patrons made." 

Jack Upland, Wright's Political Songs, II., p. 23. 



NOTES 147 

256. That is, what he acquired by begging (purchas) amounted to 
more than his income (rente). This expression is found also in D 
145 1, and in Rom. of Rose, 6837. It was probably proverbial. 

276. Professor Hales in the Athenceum for April 8, 1893, nas called 
attention to the fact that the wool staple was changed from time to 
time during the fourteenth century, and was at Middleburg only during 
the period 1 384-1 388, so that Chaucer must have been writing this 
passage at that time. Middleburg is in the Netherlands, nearly oppo- 
site Harwich, whose port was known in Chaucer's time as Orewelle. 
kept means ' protected,' ' guarded,' * kept open.' 

281. The efficacy of dignity as a means of concealing one's financial 
condition was evidently not unfamiliar to Chaucer. 

286. Four years of logic was requisite for the B.A. degree, so that 
Chaucer's student was well advanced in his studies. 

288. he, < he himself.' 

292. Ne was, etc., * and he was not worldly-minded enough to secure 
secular employment.' 

297. philosophre, besides having its modern sense in M.E., also 
meant * alchemist,' which meaning Chaucer alludes to here. 

301, 302. The reference is to the practice of mediaeval students, 
who undertook to say masses for the souls of their patrons or their 
patrons' relatives in return for money given. 

t it t ft t x 

303. The awkward sentence stress, moost cure and moost hede, can 

t x t 
be avoided by assuming a hiatus, cure and, with extra syllable before 
x ' x ' x . " f x n tt t x 
the caesura, § 259 (a) : thus Of studie took he moost cure and moost hede. 
(The caesural pause is not marked for this line in El, and comes after 
studye in Hn.) 

305. in forme, etc., * with precision and dignity.' 

306. ful of hy sentence, i pregnant,' ' full of deep meaning.' 

307. moral in M.E. refers rather to the civil and social, than to the 
religious duties, of man, so that moral vertu is nearly equivalent to N.E. 
practical wisdom. The application which the Merchant and Harry 
Baily make of the student's tale about the * patient Griselda ' illustrates 
this aspect of his character. 

314. was, 'had been,' cf. § 225. 

Justice in Assise, a circuit judge sent down with royal commission 
to hold court in the country. 



148 NOTES 

319. English estates are held in fee si?7iple — that is, in absolute 
possession ; or, in fee tail — that is, subject to various limitations and 
charges of entail. The law governing the latter is, of course, extremely 
complex and difficult. 

x ' x " . ' xx " x ' 

320. Read His purchasyng myghte nat been infect with reversal 

after pause. 

323. caas is plural, cf. § 101. 

324. were falle, ' had been handed down.' 

325. thyng has its primitive sense of ' agreement ' here. 

329. with barres smale. The " barres " were metal ornaments 
through which the tongue of the buckle ran. 

330. Chaucer's humorous way of saying that he could not remem- 
ber the other details of his dress. 

331. A Frankeleyn was a man of property and importance, ranking 
below the knight — a sort of country squire. 

336. Epicurus owene sone, a more or less proverbial expression for 
a high liver. Chaucer's philosophy comes from his Boece, 641 (Gl. Ch., 
p. 381), ' The whiche delit oonly considered Epicurus, a?id iugged 
and establissyde that delyt is the soverayn good'' ('verray felicitee 
parfit '). 

340. St. Julian was the saint who protected travellers, and therefore 
the patron of hospitality. The writer of his legend in the Scottish 
Legendary (Barbour's Schottische Legendsa?nmlu7ig, ed. Hortsmann, 
p. 218) refers to a custom familiar to his boyhood. He tells us that 
the weary traveller, when he came in sight of his lodging, would take off 
his hat, remove the right foot from the stirrup, and say a paternoster to 
St. Julian. 

351. Wo was his cook, * there was trouble in store for his cook.' 
This, and such phrases as * wo is me,' show the original dative construc- 
tion. But all feeling for it was lost in M.E., and in Chaucer we have 
wo used as an adjective, as in Tro. V. 529 (Gl. Ch., p. 539) : — 

" But, Lord, this sely Troilus was wo." 

353. table dormant, a table fixed in the floor in contradistinction 
to the usual form of table which was placed on trestles so as to be 
readily removable. The Squire kept open house. 

355. At sessiouns, at the meeting of the Justices of the Peace. 
Lord and Sire, the presiding officer. The ther, like the ther in v. 258, 



NOTES 149 

repeats the adverbial notion. It is redundant in the corresponding 
N.E. construction. 

356. knyght of the shire, his county's representative in Parliament. 

359. shirr eue, the king's administrative representative in his county; 
countour, the king's legal representative {advocatus regius) (Herz- 
berg). But the word in its M.E. usage also seems to denote the func- 
tions of comptroller and auditor. 

360. vauasour, in the sixteenth century a sub-vassal holding a small 
fief of a duke, marquis, or earl, and in degree inferior to a baron (see 
the dictionaries of Cotgrave and Cowel). The word had probably this 
meaning in Chaucer's time, as shown by the quotations in Du Fresne's 
Glossarium (s. v. vassor), and in Godefroy's Dictionnaire de V Ancienne 
langne Francaise (s. v. vavassor). 

361 ff. The text does not stand in need of mending, though Chaucer 
editors often adopt the H4 var. in 363. Chaucer continues the enumera- 
tion of the party, and omits the verb, as is usual also in N.E.; cf. § 214. 

363. in lyueree. The guilds were distinguished by livery; e.g. 
1 King Harry the V.' granted that the Guild of St. George, Norwich 
(established 1385), 'be cladde in o sute of clothyngge.' English Guilds, 
Smith, E.E.T.S., p. 445. 

367, 368. See § 214. 

371. kan, see § 224. 

377. al bifore, * right in front ' (gon means 'walk '). The i vigilies' > 
were ceremonies held on the eve of the guild festival. In the ordi- 
nances of the Guild of Worcester such a vigil is described. The 
wardens of the craft and all its members were to wait upon the Bailie 
of the city ' in ther best arraye harneysed,' having provided a cresset 
for the procession. English Guilds, p. 408. 

379. for the nones, see § 135. 

386. The mormal, called in medical books malum mortuutn, was 
some sort of a running sore, as appears from remedies for it in the M.E. 
pharmacopoeia; cf. e.g. Heinrich, M.E. Medicinbuch, p. 141. There 
seems to be a delicate connection between the depth of Chaucer's sym- 
pathy for the cook's affliction and the quality of his blankmanger. 

388. by iveste, ' to the westward.' Chaucer thinks it was Dartmouth, 
one of the most important ports of his time. An interesting paper on 
Chaucer's Sailor will be found in the Chaucer Society's Essays, V, 
p. 455 ff. 

390. as he kouthe, ' as well as he could,' being a sailor. 



150 NOTES 

396. i.e. on the way home from Bordeaux he had been in the habit 
of surreptitiously helping himself to the wine while the supercargo was 
asleep. (The rascal had been telling Chaucer about it.) 

398. Of nyce conscience goes with what follows, and does not mean 

* conscientious scruples,' but * fine feelings.' The methods of trading 
in Chaucer's time were not over nice, as the records which have come 
down to us show. Legitimate trade and piracy were not sharply dis- 
tinguished, and our sailor, when his ship got the better of another, was 
not too squeamish to send his victims {hem is the general indefinite 
pronoun) ' home by water ' by making them walk the plank. Chaucer 
seems to be quoting the fellow's grim jest. 

401. Note the contrast in the particle : ' But in his trade (not these 
piratical avocations), in carefully calculating tides, currents, risks (and 
they must have been always about him in those days of uncharted seas), 
his port, phases of the moon, pilotage, there was none like him between 
Hull and Carthage.' 

405. wys to vndertake, 'prudent in running risks.' 

410. Mr. W. D. Selby has found in the records of the Port of 
Dartmouth entries of a ship called the Maudelyne, once in 1379 and 
twice in 1386 (cf. Chaucer Society's Essays, V., p. 384), evidence of the 
reality of Chaucer's representative interests in the Prologue. 

414. Astrology was closely associated with mediaeval medicine, the 
successful operations of medicines being thought to depend upon for- 
tunate astrological conditions. Natural magic, as we learn from the 
Hous of Fame, III. 175-180 (Gl. Ch., p. 573), was practised by 

* clerkes ' : they made images in certain ascendents through which 
they were able to ' make a man ben hool or syk.' Chaucer says that 
the doctor was able to ward off evil influences by this means, but does 
not indicate very clearly just how it was done. He intended to write a 
treatise on the subject as a part of the Astrolabe, but did not carry out 
his plan. 

420. Diseases in mediaeval medicine were supposed to be caused by 
an excess of one of the four * humours ' (heat, cold, moisture, dryness) 
over some other. 

427. We see that the league between the druggist and the doctor 
is an ancient joke. 

428. newe to bigynne, Mate in beginning,' ' of recent date.' 
429-434. These were the chief medical authorities of the Middle 

Ages. 



NOTES 151 

439,440. Dressed rather elaborately; it was part of the trade. 

441. A thrifty fellow whose philanthropy did not prevent his taking 
fees during pestilence. Chaucer's sly irony sounds like the doctor's 
own justification of the rich harvest he had made during the plague- 
time, * Gold is a good medicine ' being an allusion to auru??i potabile, a 
remedy which figured in the materia medica of the time. 

445. Good wif has nothing to do with housewifely excellences, but is 
a compound noun, as the stress shows, like Good-man, and, like the term 
mistress, designates a * worthy ' woman, with an independent income. 

449. The form parshepreestes in Piers P/owman, B, X. 264 gives good 

' x " 
grounds for supposing that the unstressed middle syllable of parisshe 

sometimes suffered syncope, but I doubt if Chaucer intended it here and 

in 491. The verses scan very well as they stand; cf. § 259. 

450. Referring to the precedence observed when the parishioners 
went up with their offerings. Chaucer's parson particularly mentions it 
as a form of pride, I. 408 (Gl. Ch., p. 279). 

452. out of alle char it ee. For alle see § 143. It passed the bounds 
of her Christian forbearance. Chaucer ironically draws her bad temper 
somewhat mildly. 

454. Heavy and elaborate head-dresses were common in Chaucer's 
time. The '/ dorste swere ' shows the joking exaggeration ; cf. the 
similar spirit in 471. 

456. Hir hosen. The illustration in the Ellesmere Ms. shows her 
riding man-fashion, her skirts covered with riding leggings reaching to 
the hips. Perhaps these were the hosen. 

459. she was, etc., 'she had been a woman of property all her life.' 
Chaucer seems to hint at a connection between vv. 459 and 460. 

460. At chirche dore. The mediaeval marriage service was often 
conducted in the church porch. 

463. The M.E. syncopated form of Jerusalem is Iersalem (not 
Prusalem (Skeat) nor Ierwsalem (ten Brink), as is shown by Orm's 
spelling of the word ; cf. also the M.E. version of Palladius de Re 
Rustica, I. 1 1 80, ed. Liddell, Berlin, 1896 (the passage is not in the 
E.E.T.S. edition) : — 

" Laude, ymne, honour, empire & songe vnto 
The flour of Iesse spronge in Bethleem, 
Whom Symeon seid of, and Anne, and moo 
In oon bisought Osanne at Iersalem." 



152 NOTES 

465. The shrines she had visited were popular in the Middle Ages. 

467. wandrynge by the weye, ' travelling.' 

468. soothly for to seye ; a humorous touch of human sympathy like 
that in 446. Professor Skeat cites Notes and Queries, 1st Ser., vi., p. 601, 
where a young lady records a popular superstition that one whose teeth 
are set far apart will be lucky and travel. But this very slight evidence 
seems to be the only trace of such a belief. 

472. foot mantel. It is doubtful what this word means. This is the 
only passage quoted in the N.E.D. in which it does not mean a sort 
of saddle-cloth. In the picture of the Wyf of Bath it seems to be a 
blue outer skirt of some sort. 

476. the olde daunce, ' the rules of the game ' ; see N.E.D., s. v. dance. 

478. Persoun of a Toun, *a country parson.' 

486. to cursen for hise tithes. Excommunication was an extreme 
penalty for non-payment of tithes. 

489. offryng, 'voluntary contributions'; substaunce, * private prop- 
erty ' or ' income.' 

497. wroghte, ' worked.' The picture of the parson trudging through 
the storm to comfort a distant parishioner regardless of the wretch's 
social position is one of those happy human interests so common in 
Chaucer. 

498. gospel, Matt. v. 19 : " Forsothe this that doth and techith shall 
be clepid grete in the kyngdame of heuenes." The ' figure ' (parable) 
he added was a common one in the patristic literature of the time; 
see Kittredge, Modem Language Notes, xii. 113 ff. That in M.E. is 
frequently used, as here, to introduce a direct quotation. 

502. For syntax, see § 218. 

507-514. Chaucer's reference is to a contemporary abuse among 
country priests, viz., that of farming out their benefices and going up 
to London to earn money by singing masses, or to be supported by 
a religious brotherhood. St. Paul's was a favorite resort for these 
chantry-seekers; Tyrwhitt cites Dugdale, who gives the number there 
as thirty-five. 

518. discreet, the stress is on the prefix. 

521. But, 'unless'; see § 220. 

523. for the nonys, ' on account of that very thing' ; i.e. his pride 
and haughtiness. 

526. A spiced cofiscience was one that depended on formal distinc- 
tions, spiced being identical in meaning with N.E. specious. 



NOTES 153 

529. For omitted relative, see § 188. 

531. * An honest toiler and a brave was he.' 

534. gamed is impersonal. The expression was a stereotyped one 
in M.E., * in joy or woe.' 

545. For the nones, which usually means * for that very thing,' 
seems here to be used as a mere expletive to carry on the narrative. 
But possibly stout is used in the M.E. sense of 'bold,' as in v. 2154, in 
which case there should be no comma after v. 545 : " The miller was a 
bold fellow only because he was big of brawn and bone ; and his bold- 
ness was justifiable, for," etc. He surely lives up to this character in 
A 3 i2orT. (Gl. Ch., p. 43). 

548. Rams were the usual prizes of country wrestling bouts. 

554. hade ; see § 84 (b). 

561. And that ; see § 203. 

563. To have a thombe of 'gold ' v> 'as a common expression to describe 
the value of a miller's skill in testing flour between the thumb and finger. 
Chaucer gives the proverbial expression a humorous twist, taking gold 
as representing moral purity. 

565. In Chaucer's day the bagpipe was a musical instrument in 
great favor among the common people, see N.E.D., s.v. 

567. Maunciple . . . of a temple, the steward of one of the Inns 
of Court. For the rhythm, see § 269. 

573. Note Chaucer's sly humor: " Here was a fellow without a 
university education whose native wit surpassed the wisdom of a heap 
of learned men (the very benchers of the Inns of Court), thirty of 
them skilled in the devious ways of the law, and a dozen of them fit to 
be trustees of any estate in England and make its owner live honorably 
on his income (unless he was a fool), or as economically as he wished 
to — men able to help a whole county out of a panic — and yet this 
Maunciple swindled them all. Truly a divine gift ! " 

587 ff. The Reue was the bailiff of an English estate. He kept 
account of grain (v. 593), seed (vv. 595, 596), and stock (vv. 597, 
598), subject to the occasional supervision of an auditor (594); saw 
that the respective stores of implements, etc., belonging to his lord 
and the laborers were not confused (vv. 602-605), and superintended 
the laborers' work (v. 605). Chaucer's reeve seems to have managed 
his lord's business affairs too, and like the ' unjust steward ' to have 
turned his trust to his own advantage. 

589. For the rhythm of this verse see § 259. 



154 NOTES 

595- h' th e droghte, etc., ' in a dry season or in a wet one.' 

603. baillif, either the steward or reeve of another estate, or the 
propositus or foreman of the laborers appointed annually from one of 
their number, though this officer is usually designated 'reeve* in M.E. 

606. Had he been telling Chaucer about his home? 

611. To yeue and lene, etc., see § 217. 

614. iv el good, cf. § 228. 

616. In v. 622 we see why it was Chaucer noted the horse's name; 
the Reeve being a ' coleric ' man must have ill endured the slow gait 
of his horse. Bell, in his edition of Chaucer, says that the horse-name 
' Scot ' is still common in Norfolk. 

621. * His surcoat tucked under his legs like a friar's gown.' 

623. The Summoner was an officer who cited persons before ecclesi- 
astical courts. These courts tried matrimonial causes and such offences 
as fornication and adultery, as is evident from what follows. 

624. c/ierubynneswere a common feature of mediaeval church adorn- 
ment, and were painted fyr reed, so that * cherubin-faced ' became a 
proverbial expression. 

625. sawcefleem (Lat. salsitm p/i/egma); i.e. his face was covered 
with pimples, boils, and eruptions. The disease was thought to be 
caused by too much salt humor in the blood. A remedy for it, com- 
pounded of lily-root, 'swynes-grece,' powdered ginger, powdered gilly- 
flower, and quicksilver, is given in a M.E. pharmacopoeia (Heinrich, 
Mittelenglisches Medicinbuch, p. 211). Another is found in Boorde's 
Introduction and Dietary (E.E.T.S.), p. 102, where its causes are 
said to be 'bad food,' 'late drinking,' and ' overeating.' 

628 contains a delicate touch of human interest. Had Chaucer 
noticed the village youngsters pointing out the awful visage as the 
pilgrims rode along their route? 

644. ' But if one should try him on another subject.' 
646. Questio, quid juris ? 'Question, what is the law?' i.e. 'I 
appeal to the authorities,' a phrase frequently on the lips of ecclesias- 
tical lawyers. 

651. atte fulle, cf. § 87. 

652. 'To pull a finch' was a M.E. figurative expression correspond- 
ing to ' pluck a pigeon,' still current in England, according to the 
N.E.D., and equivalent to ' catch a sucker.' 

655. The Archdeacon presided over the lowest ecclesiastical court, 
and his extreme weapon was excommunication. Chaucer humorously 



NOTES 155 

makes his Somonour explain " when the archdeacon talks about ' open- 
ing the horrible gates of hell' ( — ' horribiles inferi portas pandimus'' 
was part of the formula of excommunication), his ' hell ' that he is going 
to open is your purse." A characteristically sly allusion to the cor- 
ruptibility of archdeacons, with the ironical parenthesis, " I'm sure the 
fellow lied, for we all know that as absolution saves the soul, so excom- 
munication slays it." In the Apocalypsis Golice (Poe??is ascribed to 
Walter Mapes, publications of the Camden Society, p. 9) we get a 
picture of the sort of corruptible archdeacon Chaucer had in mind. 
The Elizabethan translation of it (p. 275) runs: — 

" I read the chapter next, and there did understand 

Th' Archdeacon's trade and life, whose course was next of all, 
If anie thing by chaunce did scape the Bisshopes hand, 
With toothe and naile to scratch, and tear in pieces small. 

And when he heares the pleas of persons at debate 

In forme of canon lawe he workethe subtilie; 
For he the canon lawe can turne, even in like sorte 

To Symon's court, which [' so that the canon law '] is th' Arch- 
deacon's Mercuric" 

662. Signijicavit ; Tyrwhitt notes that "The writ de excommunicato 
capiendo (for imprisoning an excommunicated person) was commonly 
called signijicavit from the beginning of the writ, which was as follows : 
' Rex vicecomiti L. salutem. Signijicavit nobis vejierabilis pater H.L. 
episcopus? etc. " (Compare a similar N.E. practice of naming writs from 
the opening words, e.g. a writ of scire Jacias.) Coles (1713) defines 
signijicavit as "a writ for the imprisoning him that stands obstinately 
excommunicate forty days." The word was probably clipped in pro- 
nunciation to sirf-ft-ca-vit, and a Latin final -t often rhymes with an 
English -th in M.E. 

663. * He kept the young people (girtes means young people of 
both sexes in M.E.) of his diocese in his power according to methods 
of his own.' 

666-668. He seems to have made his pilgrimage a festival occasion. 
The cake-buckler is a conspicuous feature of his dress in the Ellesmere 
portrait of him. 

670. Tyrwhitt's suggestion that the " Pardoner was not from Ronces- 
valles, but was the member of some fraternity like that of the ( Blessed 
Mary of Royncevalle ' at Charing, London," is probably correct. 



156 .VOTES 

672 refers to the burden of a popular song, Come hider, loue y to me. 
Mr. Gollancz thinks that two verses in the Pearly 

" Cum hyder to me, my lemman swete, 
For mote ne spot is non in the," 

are a reference to the same song; see his note, Pearl, p. 124. But 
the rhythm is too dissimilar to make this likely. 

689. ne neuer sholde hane. Chaucer evidently did not like the 
fellow, though he shows the same humorous respect for his skill in 
his trade that he showed for the Shopman's. 

692. fro Bertvyk (in the north of England) into Ware (in the 
south) was a proverbial expression for all England, like ' from John a 
Groats' to Land's End.' 

693. Jusserand's Wayfaring Life in the Middle Ages contains an 
interesting chapter on Pardoners. The student will find- the Pardoner's 
own account of his methods in C 329 ff. (Gl. Ch., p. 145). 

702. vpon lond, ' back in the country.' 

708. noble ecclesiaste is ironically spoken like * noble post"* in 214. 

710. alder be St, cf. § 1 13. 

714. The 'therefore' has a tinge of Chaucer's merry irony in it. 
For the form, murierly, cf. § 127. 

718. gentil hostelry e gives a touch of human interest to the narra- 
tive, ' this excellent inn.' 

720. is tyme ; see § 188. 

725-742. These lines contain Chaucer's justification for some of his 
stories which follow. The fact that he felt such an apology necessary, 
as well as the so-called retraction at the end of the Canterbury Tales 
(which there is good reason for supposing was written by another 
apologist than Chaucer), shows clearly that even the rather loose 
morality of mediaeval England was somewhat shocked by the freedom 
and vulgarity of some of his tales. Chaucer himself admits that they 
are rudelick, large, and brod ; but he gives only an explanation, not a 
justification. His argument from Plato (though he probably did not 
feel it to be so) is a piece of bare sophistry, and the 'broadness' of the 
Bible is the frank recognition of the fundamental facts of human life, 
which is the finest purity. Even Chaucer's humor and humanity are 
but a partial excuse, and cannot make some of his tales fit reading for 
virginibus puerisque or for any one else. Some of his writing is not 
really offensive any more than Henry IV. is offensive, the objectionable 



NOTES 157 

features being but part of the every-day life they describe — the words 
are * cousin kin,' at least, to the subject matter. But unfortunately we 
cannot justify all of Chaucer's writing, or all of Shakspere's either, on 
the same grounds. 

728. To telle, ' in telling,' cf. § 217. 

729. proprely, * in their own way.' 

731. shal, * is going to,' almost 'undertakes to.' 

733. euerich, see § 117, note 1. 

734. rudeliche, see § 121. 

736. Or feyne thyng, ■ or invent subject matter.' 

737. althogh he were his brother ; the he is the indefinite personal 
pronoun, 'the man he is talking about.' 

741. Chaucer probably quotes Plato from Boethius, cf. Boece, 1 1 18 
(Gl. Ch., p. 402), " thow hast leryned by the sentence of Plato that nedts 
the wordis moot be cosy ties to the thynges of whiche thei speken." 

743. For the sake of dramatic interest, the poet does nut make 
his pilgrims tell their stories in the order of their precedence, and 
humorously excuses his offence against propriety on the ground that 
his mind was not equal to the task — * ye may wel vnderstonde' 

751 ff. From here on to the end of the Prologue, and in the brief 
prologues and epilogues of the several tales, Chaucer shows a dramatic 
power in representing the words and actions of men and women that 
is not surpassed even by Shakspere. Not that dramatic representa- 
tive interest is wanting in the rest of his work, but that here and in the 
1 links ' there is that abundance of life and humanity which characterizes 
Shakspere. The flux, so to speak, is his delicate humor searching out 
the hearts of men and women beneath all the many envelopes of time 
and custom, and in it human life yields up its true values, the very 
essence of dramatic representation. The versification of this passage 
should receive the student's careful attention ; he should notice es- 
pecially the reversals of the rhythm, giving vividness and variety to 
the narrative; the lines which have no introductory unstressed syllable, 
e.g. 752, 764, 778, introducing abruptness here and there; the strong 
stresses, e.g. 

n t x 1 x tt 

" Now lordynges trezuely 

9 99 X ' " 'X 9 X " 

Ye been to me right welcome hertely" etc., 
giving a personal flavor to the verse. 



158 NOTES 

751. Chaucer, in his description of Harry Baily, and in all the 
words which he puts into the big man's mouth, betrays that love of 
soundness and health which is the very keynote of English character. 

752. For to been a marchal, etc., not only because he was so fine- 
looking, but because he showed such tact in setting us down to supper. 

754. Chepe, Cheapside in London, where prosperous merchants were 
to be found in abundance. 

756. manhod, cf. * manly matt ' in Chaucer's description of the 
monk. 

760. The sly Chaucer again ! The landlord's good humor is inti- 
mately associated with the prompt payment of the pilgrims' scot. Cf. 
it shal coste noght, 768, "it shan't cost you a penny" ; the shrewdness 
of 799; the humor in 804, right at myn owene cost, " I'll not put it in 
your reckonings"; the practical forfeit he imposes in 805, 806; and 
the fixing of the price of the supper they were to have on their return, 
815 — undoubtedly a suggestion of mine host's, though Chaucer leaves 
that to inference. 

763. if that I shal nat lye ; this and such expressions as by my 
fader soule, 781, to speken short and pleyn, 790, / mene it so, 793, as 
enere mote I drynke wyn or ale, 832, were stereotyped phrases which 
made up the small change of M.E. conversation. 

766. doon yow myrthe, ' make you enjoy yourselves'; cf. myrthe, 
767, 'means of amusement.' 

767. A happy inspiration solves his difficulty. 

769, 770. A touch of reverence and seriousness, and sympathy 
withal. 

777. yow, dative, ' if it please you.' by oon assent goes with 
stonden. 

779. werken, 'do.' 

782. yeue has been marked as a monosyllable in order to prevent 
an Alexandrine. But to scan it as such makes better stress (at least 
in N.E.). 

783. Hoold vp, etc., i.e. in sign of assent. 

784. longe for to seche, see § 218. 

785. Vs thonghte, etc., 'it seemed to us that it was not worth while 
to be on our guard,' with wys in the common M.E. sense of ' prudent/ 
rather than of ' wise,' as it is generally taken. The host has asked 
their assent to a proposition as to the real nature of which they are 
still in the dark. 



NOTES 159 

791. to shorte with oure weye, 'to shorten our journey with'; the 
significance of the pronoun ' oure ' lies in its giving his auditors the first 
inkling of his purpose to go with them, and the I mene it so following, 
'I am serious in the matter,' gives the reader a hint of the surprise 
that the intending pilgrims betrayed when Harry Baily told them of 
his purpose. Not appreciating this, modern editors have substituted 
youre for oure, one of the botchings of the scribe of H4. 

792 ff. This passage shows that the Canterbury Tales, like Chau- 
cer's own tract on the Astrolabe and Spenser's Faery Queene, was 
conceived on a far larger plan than could be carried out by the 
author. 

800. sittynge by this post, another instance of Chaucer's dramatic 
power. One can almost hear Harry Baily slapping the post affection- 
ately to give point to what he is saying. 

803. goodly (and not gladly, the lifeless emendation of H4 adopted 
by modern editors) means ' courteously,' ' as a favor to you.' 

811. preyden, omitted subject, 'we begged him.' 

817. In heigh and lough, 'in matters important and unimportant.' 

823. The host was up before any of the rest of them, ' shaping him 
for the journey.' Note Chaucer's humorous touch in ' and was oure 
alter cok 1 and in ' gadrede vs togidre alle in a flok? 

825. a litel moore than paas, ' a little faster than a foot pace/ 

826. The wateryng of Seint Thomas was, according to Nares 
(Glossary, s.v. wateryng), a brook at the second milestone on the 
Kent road. A small volume dealing with the route of the Canterbury 
pilgrims in Chaucer's time is one of the books promised by the Chaucer 
Society. A tracing of the route from the ordnance maps with some ex- 
planatory matter has already been printed in 100 copies for private dis- 
tribution ( — my copy bears no date, but I think it was given me in 1 893) . 
Dr. Furnivall's Temporary Preface to the Six Text Chaucer contains much 
interesting material on the relation between the route and the group- 
ing of the Tales. There is also a copy of Saxton's map from London 
to Maidstone and Rochester, 1573-79, in the Tale of Beryn, Chaucer 
Society, Supple?nentary Tales, 2. 

829. audit yow recorde, * I will recall it to your minds ' ; see § 188. 

830. A proverbial expression, ' if you will stand by last night's 
agreement.' 

833. Whoso be, etc., ' if any one is,' see § 220. 

837. Note the skill with which Harry Baily makes the knight, who 



160 NOTES 

might not like the vulgarity of the drawing, the Prioress, who might 
think it unlady-like, and the clerk, who hesitated from natural timidity, 
take the first drawings; then the bluff 'lay hond to, enery man* for 
the rest of the company. 

844. auenture, ' fortune '; sort, ' fate '; cas, * accident.' 

850. goode-man here seems to be, from the stress and the sup- 
pression of the definite ending of the adjective, a compound noun. 

851. obedient is almost equivalent to ' punctilious.' 
853. shal, 'am to,' see note on v. 731. 

The Knightes Tale 

859. The olde stories were the mediaeval romances, based upon 
Statius' Thebaiad. Chaucer found his material in Boccaccio's Teseide, 
though he quotes Statius directly in the Compleynte of Faire Anelida 
and False Arcite (Gl. Ch., p. 336). He does not follow the Italian 
version very closely, only about one-sixth of his Tale bearing anything 
like a close resemblance to Boccaccio's, and he quite changes its spirit, 
infusing Germanic elements of romance into the classic story. The 
material early attracted him, and before it received its final form in the 
Knightes Tale it had been used by him, partially at least, in the Com- 
pleynt already referred to, in three stanzas of Troilus and Criseyde, V. 
1807-1827 (Gl. Ch., p. 557), and in the Parliament of Foules, 183-294 
(Gl. Ch., p. 344). From the Legend of Good Wo?nen, v. 420, we get 
the name of an independent work of Chaucer's called Palamon and 
Arcite, — ' a story little known,' Chaucer adds. This is supposed to have 
been originally written in seven-line stanzas, and afterwards remodelled 
for the Knightes Tale. The student who is interested in comparing 
Chaucer's version with Boccaccio's will find material for doing so 
in Mr. Henry Ward's margin notes, brief but clear, to the Six 
Text Chaucer, in the Chaucer Society's Essays, Pt. IV., p. 357 II, 
and in Kissner's Chaucer in seinen Beziehungen zur italienischen 
Litter atur, Bonn, 1867, pp. 60 ff. The Teseide will be found in the 
edition of Moutier, Boccaccio, Opere volgari (17 vols.), Florence, 1827- 
34. The most accessible edition of Statius is in the Teubner series, 
edited by Bahrens and Kohlmann; the best translation of it is that 
which was made by W. L. Lewis, Oxford, in 1767, but.it is not very 
accessible. The part that relates to Chaucer's story is found in the 
XII Book of Statius. 



NOTES l6l 

876. The readings of El and H4 seem to be attempts at emendation; 
but see § 260 (b). 

884. Neither Statius nor Boccaccio speak of a storm at Hyppolyte's 
homecoming. 

895. his mooste pride : moost is used as an attributive adjective in 
M.E. tr x , x x , x , x , x 

896. Read He was war. as he caste his eye aside ; cf. §§ 260, 259 
(c). 

908. i.e. ' that ye thus,' not 'ye that thus,' cf. § 188. 

925. 'Fortune and hir false wheel' was a favorite picture of medi- 
aeval philosophy. The immediate source of it in Chaucer's case was 
Boethius, II., pr. ii; see Chaucer's translation of the passage, Boece, 307 
ff. (Gl. Ch., p. 366). 

957, 958. hente (pret), and . . . conforteth (pres.) ; see §226. 

960. ' He would put forth his might with such vigor as to wreak 
vengeance,' etc. 

968. go ne ride, cf. note on v. 48. 

969. fully, i.e. ' even for.' 

970. ojiward, ' having gone some distance/ 
975. See § 271. 

977. feeldes glyteren, i.e. 'all the country round about shines with 
the reflection,' a poetic exaggeration. To take 'field' as referring to 
the various ' charges ' of his banner makes the sense awkward. 

978. The penoun was triangular, the banner square, and borne only 
by a knight-banneret. There is a picture of the two in Planche, 
British Costume, p. 118. 

979. Of gold ful riche, etc., 'rich with gold, having the Minotaur 
embossed on it.' 

988. in pleyn bataille, ' in open battle.' 

994. deuyse, 'give the details of.' 

996, 997. See § 260. 

1016-1019. i.e. their bearings showed that they were of royal 
blood and cousins-german. 

1026. Note the variant in El. The scribe did not like or under- 
stand the coupling of the two tenses (see § 226), nor do modern editors 
who follow the ' improvement ' he made. 

1029. Terme of his lyf ' during the period of his life.' It is a 
common M.E. phrase, and contains an old accusative expressing dura- 
tion, cf. § 194. 
M 



1 62 NOTES 

1031. This verse makes good M.E. sense (the predicate ' are ' being 
omitted, cf. § 214), and has more authority than the reading commoniy 
adopted; see var. The fact that H4 has not the dwellen . . . eek 
reading is especially significant. 

1057. In dongeoun, as in habergeoun, the e is merely the sign that£ 
has its " soft " sound. 

1 061. hadde hir pleyynge, 'took her pleasure.' 

1078. bleynte is pret. of blenche, cf. § 175 (6). 

1082. lliat art so pale, etc., see note on v. 908. 

1087. Som wikke aspect, etc. In the Astrolabe, 160 (Gl. Ch., p. 
646), Chaucer tells us what this unlucky aspect of Saturn was : "A 
'fortunate ascendent' clepen they whan that no wicked planete, as Sat- 
urne or Mars or elles the Tayle of the Dragoun, is in the house of the 
ascendent, ne that no wicked planete have noon aspect of enemy te upon 
the ascendent." See note to v. 2456. 

1089. although we hadde it sworn, * even though we should swear it 
was not so.' 

109 1. For rhythm, see § 273; for syntax, § 196. 

1105. Yow, 'yourself,' see § 201. 

1 1 17. The Mss. show that Chaucer wrote here syk and not sigh. 
The form also occurs in T. and C. IV. 1527 (Gl. Ch., p. 529). 

1 1 27. For the infinitive, see § 215. 

1 132. In a few rare instances in M.E., and does not introduce the 
connected phrase or clause, but follows with the meaning of N.E. 
1 also'; e.g. Palladius, I. 6 : — 

" So sende he me sense and science 
Of my balade away to rade errour, 
Pallade and do to glade his excellence." 

We may have such an idiom in this verse. If not, some word like 
1 pledged ' is to be understood after ' ech' 
til is the northern M.E. form of the prep. to. 

1 133. for to dyen in the peyne, ' though we should die in agony for 
it,' is originally an O.Fr. phrase, * mourrir en la peine.' It occurs in 
Troil. I. 674, and Rom. of the Rose, 3326. Compacts like this are 
common in mediaeval literature. ' Sworn brothers,' ' wedded brethren,' 
' fratres jurati,' were bound to aid and comfort one another, as Palamon 
says. See fratres conjurati in Du Cange and sworn brothers in Nares' 
Glossary. 



NOTES 163 

1 137, 1 138. These verses evidently go with what follows, not with 
what precedes, as the usual punctuation assumes. 

1 147. conseil seems to have the meaning of 'confidant.' But no other 
use of the word in this sense is recorded in the N.E.D. {counsel, 7 b) 
before 1647, nor has the corresponding O.Fr. word this meaning. It 
may be a mistake for cosyn, cp. vv. 1131, 1 161. 

1 156-1 1 59. An ironical allusion to v. 1 102 and Palamon's exclama- 
tion in v. 1 104. 

1 1 64. The philosophers' saying was : — 

" Quis legem dat amantibus ? 
Maior lex amor est sibiP 

— Boethius, de Cons. Phil. III., metrum xii. 

Chaucer's translation of it is in the Boece, 1 135, 1136 (Gl. Ch., p. 
402). In vv. 1 167, 1 168 he adds a gloss found in the Aquinas Com- 
mentary on Boethius, " nam ex incenso amove homo septus transgreditur 
legem.'''' 

1 167. positif lawe and swich decree, i.e. arbitrary and promulgated 
law as opposed to natural law, a distinction of mediaeval jurisprudence. 

1 171. she (the indefinite pronoun), 'the woman he loves,' cf. note 
on v. 400. 

1 1 72. Here begins Arcite's third argument. For syntax, see § 218. 
1 1 77 ff. /Esop's fable of The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox slightly 

altered. 

1 201. Chaucer in using the word write forgets dramatic propriety. 
The story of Pirithous (Chaucer's spelling is an illustration of the con- 
fusion which attended the transfer of classic proper names into M.E.) 
and Theseus is found in Plutarch's Lives. But Chaucer took it from 
Le Roman de la Rose (8186 ff.), as Professor Skeat points out. 

1209. pleynly for tendite, 'to record it in full.' 

1 25 1. Chaucer again takes his philosophy from Boethius and quotes 
directly from the de Cons. Phil. III., prosa ii., see Boece, 643 (Gl. Ch., 

p. 331). 

1262, 1263. The edition of Boethius which Chaucer used contained 
the commentary traditionally assigned to St. Thomas Aquinas. These 
verses are a translation of one of the Aquinas glosses, ' ebrius scit se 
habere domum, sed . . . nescit quomodo ad earn redeat? ' Drunk as 
a mouse,' ' drunk as rats,' were common comparisons up to Queen 
Elizabeth's time. 



164 NOTES 

1293. See § 196. 

1 303-1312 is a reminiscence of a similar apostrophe in Boethius, I. 
metr. 5, where Boethius says (see Boece, 193, Gl. Ch., p. 360) : "0 thou 
what so euere thou be, that knyttest all boondes of thynges, loke on thise 
wrecchide erthes. We ??ie?i that ben noght a foul partie but a fair 
par tie of so greet a work we ben turmentedin this see of fortune, ." And 
above, 189, "0 govemour gover?iynge a lie thynges why refusestow oonly 
to governe the werkes of men, why suffrestow . . . that anoyous peyne 
that sholde duweliche punysche felons punysscheth innocentes ? " 

1333. hym Arcite, cf. § 190. 

1336. forth I wol yow telle, 'I will go on with my story.' 

1344. vpon in the sense of ' on penalty of is common in M.E. 

1347. The knight jestingly says that this question is one for the 
Courts of Love to decide. A discussion of these courts will be found 
in Harvard Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature, Vol. VI., 
by W. A. Neilson. 

1355. The division of the Knightes Tale into two parts at this point 
seems to be the work of the Ellesmere scribe, as it is not found in any 
of the other Mss. The Hengwrt scribe divided the story at 18S0, 
where the Ellesmere copyist introduces his second division. The 
Ellesmere division is only followed here for purposes of convenience. 

1373. The 'disease of Eros' is, of course, a humorous expression 
fjr ' Love.' Mediaeval psychology divided the brain into three ' ceils,' 
the foremost being the residence of the imagination or fantasy, the 
middle that of reason, the hindermost that of memory. Chaucer de- 
scribes Ma?iia as being induced by a melancholy humor in the front 
cell. Shakspere makes use of the same psychology in Macbeth, I. 
vii. 65, where he speaks of memory as being the 'warder of the 
brain.' 

1376. As to the text of this verse, we have assumed an error in the 
original Ms. caused by passing from the n in Biforen to the h in his. 
According to N.E.D., ' before ' has never had the meaning ' in the front 
part of.' 

1387. Mercury's slepy yerde was his caduceus. Somnifera virga is 
a frequent designation of it in Ovid. 

1389. The reference is to the story told in Ovid's Metamorphoses, 
i. 714. 

1394. hou soore, etc., 'however bitterly I may suffer for it.' 

1 401. Lor rhythm, see § 259 (c). 



NOTES 165 

1421. here, 'her'; see § 131, 

1423. myghty for the nones, 'strong for that sort of work.' Notice 
the addition Chaucer has to make on account of the rhyme. 

1428. ' In the Teseide (IV. 3) Arcite takes the name of Pentheo. 
The name of Philostrate might be suggested to Chaucer ... by Boc- 
caccio's poem entitled Philostrato (the original of Chaucer's Troilus 
and Criseyde). In the Midsummer Nighfs Dream ... a Philostrate 
(see Dramatis Personcs) is introduced as a . . . servant of Theseus.' 
— Tyrwhitt. This is one of the evidences that Shakspere was famil- 
iar with Chaucer's story. 

1448. derre is in the comparative degree, cf. § 125. 

1453. what for wo, etc.; the syntax in which 'what' has the sense 
of ' partly ' is still in N.E. use, though the ' what ' in N.E. is usually 
repeated before the second phrase. 

1460. it am nat I ; in M.E. in such clauses the verb agrees in per- 
son with the predicate-pronoun. Chaucer is continually apologizing 
(he does it again in 1464) for the length of his story; here the apology 
turns on a humorous exaggeration of Palamon's love-pains. 

1466. Merely a distinction between accident and fate. Chaucer 
was thinking of the relation between Destiny and Providence as 
described in Boethius, de Cons. Phil. IV., prosa vi. 

1 49 1. The student should make a careful study of these beautiful 
lines, paying especial attention to the rhythm. 

1498, 1499. It is possible that the reading of Hn and e for 1498 is 
the correct one, and that in 1499 is or is his has been corrupted into 
his. 

1500. Descriptions of May-day customs will be found in such books 
as Brand's Popular Antiquities, Dyer's British Popular Customs, 
Strutt's Sports and Pastimes of the British People, Chambers's Book 
of Days, Century Dictionary, s.v. May-day. 

1502. Chaucer uses the same verse in the Legend of Good Wo?nen, 

1204, 

" Vpon a courser e startlyng as the fire," 

which shows that startlyng (skittish) and not stertyng, the supposed 
correction of II4, is the word. 

1504. were it a ??iyle or tzveye, see § 221. 

1521. go sithen many yeres, 'these many years ago'; go is here 
the p. part. Cf. " But sooth is seyd, goon sithen many a day, 11 F 535; 
"gonys a grete while," Leg. of G. W., 427. 



1 66 NOTES 

1522, 1524 are two common M.E. proverbs. The first is found in 
Ray's Proverbs in the form, " Fields have eyes and woods have ears," 
3d ed. p. 112, where a French form is also cited, " Bois ont oreilles et 
champs oeiilets" (the German form is "Das Feld hat Augen der Wald 
hat Ohren"). In the latter proverb, at vnset steuene, means 'at an 
unappointed hour.' 

1532. If crop is not an error for croppes, we have here an instance 
of a half verse without introductory unstressed syllable, cf. § 260 (b). 

1 537. hir day, i.e. dies Veneris. The changeableness of Friday 
weather seems to have been a matter of popular belief in Chaucer's time. 

1558. noght worth a myte ; Chaucer is possibly alluding to Boc- 
caccio's ' etymology ' of Philostrate, ' prostrated by love.' 

1566. shapen was my deeth erst than my sherte : i.e. 'before my 
birth I was destined to die of love.' It seems to have been a common 
expression. Chaucer uses it in the Legend of Good Women, 2629. 
It occurs, also, in Lydgate's Complaint of the Black Knight, 489 
(Anglia, XIX., p. 269) : — 

" Er I was borne my destanye was sponne 
By Parcas sustren to sle me if they conne, 
For they my dethe shopen or (= ' ere') my shert " 

(the words of a woebegone lover). Similar phraseology occurs in 
Troilus and Criseyde, III. 733. , „ 

1575. The stress is unusual here: coold swerd ; for in M.E., as in 
N.E., in such a combination more stress falls on the noun than on its 
adjective. But there are several instances of the reverse in Chaucer, 
and occasional instances in Shakspere. 

1 61 6. For rhythm, see § 103. 

1622. leyd his feilh to borwe, 'pledged his honor for surety.' 

1625. sooth is seyd, etc. Professor Skeat has cited Chaucer's quota- 
tion in the Roman de la Rose, 8487, and this in turn from Ovid, Meta- 
morphoses, II. 846: — 

"Non bene conveniunt, nee in una sede morantur 
Maiestas et Amor." 

In the Ms. edition of Chaucer prepared by Franciscus Junius, Ovid, 
Ars Am. 564, is cited : — 

" Non bene cu?n sociis regna Venusque manent" 

which is still more apposite. 



NOTES 167 

1638. The simile is from the Tcseide, VII. 106. hunters is gen. " 
sing., not nom. plu. For syntax in 1 641 ff., see § 188. 

1649. They waive formalities in this grim duel. Compare Shak- 
spere's expression in Macbeth, I. ii. 21 ff . : — 

* Which (= and he) neer shook hands nor bade farewell to him 
Till he unseam'd him from the nave to th' chops.' 

166 1. In leaving them fighting ankle-deep in gore, Chaucer does 
not show much consideration for the gentle reader. 

1663-1672. This notion of the subordination of Fate to Providence 
Chaucer gets from Boethius. He uses it again in Troilus, III. 617-619, 
where Fortune is the servant of God because she is the * executrice of 
wierdes' (destiny). The passages he draws on are found in de Cons. 
Phil, IV. prosa vi. (Boece, 1467, Gl. Ch., p. 416) : — 

"God disponith in his purueaunce . . . the thinges that been to 
doone ; but he amynistreth . . . by destyne thilke same thinges that he 
hath disponyd. Cp. also Boece, i486: And this ilke ordre (i.e. * of 
destyne') constreyneth the fortunes and the dedes of men by a bond of 
causes not able to ben unbounded 

1697. Vnder the sonne is usually taken with looketh to mean he 
'looked out into the sunlight,' but it can easily go with launde, 'the 
glade lying in the sunlight.' The pause marks in a support the former 
construction. Compare the M.E. phrases agayn the sonne, ' in the 
sunshine,' agayn the mone (Tro. II. 920), 'in the moonlight.' 

1 7 10. what myster men, 'what sort of men.' 

1743. This is ; see § 273. 

1 75 5. And saugh, etc., 'And they looked at their bloody w r ounds,' etc. 

1 761. This seems to have been a proverbial expression. Chaucer 
makes frequent use of it; cf. Leg. 503, E 1986, F 579. gentil, of 
course, here means ' well-born,' ' noble.' 

1763. in a clause; a has here its meaning of 'one,' 'the same.' 

1785. benedicite is here clipped to ben'diste. In Troilus I. 780 
(Gl. Ch., p. 449) it is spelled bendiste. 

1794. And witen, ' and they know.' 

1799. i.e. 'Your lover is your only complete fool,' one of Publius 
Syrus' Sentejitia (15) : " Amare et sapere vix Deo conceditur" Junius 
(Ms. edition of Chaucer) cites another, " A?nans quid cupiat scit, quid 
sapiat non videt," adding a quotation from Plautus, Pseud., Act I., sc 3, 
" Non jucundum est nisi amans facit stulta." 



1 68 NOTES 

1806. Almost 'But this is the best joke of all.' Theseus' humor is 
really Chaucer's; see v. 1813. 

1811,1812. Seems to be proverbial philosophy. Cf. the N. E. 
proverb, "There's no fool like an old fool." 

1814. seruant in M.E. is a common term for Mover.' Cf. the 
colloquial expression in N.E. ' to wait upon ' for ' to pay court to.' oon 
in this M.E. phrase denotes conspicuousness. 

1832. tyme is is an instance of hiatus; cf. § 262. 

1838. go pipen in an yuy leef was a M.E. popular expression for 
making the best of a bad bargain ; cf. N.E. ' go whistle.' 

1840. Note the humor in this verse. 

1841. degree here seems to have the unusual meaning 'relation to 
me,' and to refer to vv. 1848, 1849. 

1850. fer ne ner. Both adjectives are in the comparative degree, 
and the phrase seems to mean 'exactly,' though it is not found with 
this meaning in the N.E.D. 

1856. That wheither ; cf. § 134. 

X 'x . X X 

1901. Read: The theatre for to maken etc.; see § 259 (c). 

1906. Is an interesting line for text criticism. The original scribe 
passed over the bracketed letters in ' i?i [mynde and in~\ inemoriej his 
eye catching the second in instead of the first, a common source of 
error in Mss. The scribe of H4, knowing the frequency of such mis- 
takes, saw what the missing words were. But the verse thus written 
did not seem smooth to his ear ( — he is forever tinkering lines that 
have the extra syllable before the caesura), and so he put in a the before 
mynde, and took out the on the before westward. ' 

1914. hadde I foryeten, is subjunctive, ' I came near forgetting.' 

1925 ff. A catalogue of abstract qualities personified, as in the 
Romaunt of the Rose. Such allegorical descriptions were common in 
Chaucer's time. In v. 1940 Chaucer follows the Romaunt in making 
Idleness the portress of his garden. 

1970-2022. Similar to Teseide, VII. 31-37. 

1987. The northern light streaming in at the doors is an addition of 
Chaucer's. Boccaccio's temple is lighted by the altar fires kindled from 
the flames of plundered cities. 

2004. chirkyng, ' creaking '. It is interesting to note how Chaucer, 
in order to exaggerate the horror of his description, appeals to the ear 
as well as to the eye. 



NOTES 169 

2007. The picture of Sisera slain by Jael (Judges iv. 17-22) is used 
by Chaucer to bring up the idea of horrible murder. He uses it also in 
D 765. Added to the picture of the blood-stained suicide, with his 
cut throat and his hair bathed in blood, it is certainly horrible enough. 

2017. shippes hoppesteres ; hoppystere occurs once in O.E., with the 
meaning * dancing-girl' (cf. N.E.D. s.v.). Boccaccio speaks of the Le 
navi bellatrici being taken as trophies : it has been suggested that 
Chaucer misread this bellatrici as ballatrici (but it might easily have 
been written ballatrici in his Ms., as e and a are very liable to confusion 
in certain fourteenth century hands), and hence his translation. To 
ballare in Florio's Dictionary is given the meaning to dance, hop. 

2021. infortune of M arte ; Mars, like Saturn, was one of the 
* wikked ' planets in astrology, cf. note to 2456. But Chaucer may be 
referring to an accident in a chariot race in the Campus Martius, and 
cartere may here mean * charioteer ' and cart i chariot.' 

2024. ofMartes diuisioun, because the crafts were under his protection. 

2028. Is a reference to the story of Damocles. Chaucer took it 
from Boethius. de Cons. Phil. Ill, prosa v., which explains why it is used- 
in connection with conqueste : for Philosophy is there speaking of kings 
who extend the boundaries of their empires. The lives of such are full 
of danger. A ruler (tyrannies) who had experienced this danger pic- 
tured it i pendentis supra vertice gladii terrore? The note to the pas- 
sage in the Aquinas-commentary which Chaucer was familiar with 
describes the hanging of the sword in the words " et sibi supra verticem 
iussit suspendere gladium acutum tcniti Jili." 

2037. The mistake sertres in all the Mss. probably arose from the / 
having been accidentally dropped in the original copy, and then added 
above with the caret between the two r's instead of between the s and 

the e\ ser res. To following scribes this looked like a proper name : 
El and Hn both write it with a capital letter ; see the variants. 

2040. Chaucer may have intended to insert a story (that of Antony 
and Cleopatra ?) at this point ; for the ' oon ensample ' is not given. 

2041 ff. Chaucer copies the mediaeval representation of Mars. 

Rubeus and Puella in geomantic * scriptures ' were the names of two 

* * 

* 
1 figures ' : %* ' Puella', associated with Venus in astrology, and * * ' Ru- 
* * * 

beus,' associated with Mars (Prof. Skeat in the Academy, March 2, i£ 



170 XOTES 

2049. As the caesura naturally falls after pencel (as in a), it is likely 
that Chaucer used the other form of the p. part., viz., depeynt and not the 
depeynted of the Mss. 

2056. Calistopee : Callisto was changed into the constellation of 
Ursa Major; her son was changed into the constellation {sterre) 
Bootes. It is Ursa Minor, not Ursa Major, that contains the lode- 
sterre. In Boethius, de Cons. Phil. IV. metr. vi., Ursa is mentioned 
as moving close to the pole of the universe : the gloss describes the 
constellation as made up of seven stars near the pole (i.e. Ursa 
Minor). Chaucer probably thought of this constellation as ' the Bear,' 
and hence his mistake. The story of Callisto is told in Ovid, Fasti ', 
II. 153-192. (Chaucer's spelling is not yet explained — ? confused 
with ' Calliope.') 

2062 ff. The story of Daphne and Apollo's love for her, and her 
metamorphosis into a laurel, is found in Ovicl, Metamorphoses, I. 450; 
that of Acteon in Met. III. 138; that of Atalanta in Met. X. 698 ; that 
of Meleager in Met. VIII. 299. 

2103. of hir hond, ' in respect to their skill ' or ' prowess.' 

21 1 2. that loueth paramours, 'that loves madly' ; para??iours is an 
adverb. 

21 19 ff. som is singular, 'one.' 

2122. A caesura is marked after sheeld in El, Hn. This accounts for 
the extra syllable. 

2125. 'There's no new fashion that has not been an old one,' i.e. 
these ancient knights had the same sort of equipment that we have — 
Chaucer's apology for the anachronism. 

2141. This goes with the following, not with the preceding, verse. 

2160. clooth of Tars was a sort of silk. 

2192. euerich at his degree, ' each according to his rank.' 

2202. Perhaps the reading of a is correct, and Chaucer refers to 
skill in dancing to song. 

221 7. in hir houre ; the twelfth conclusion of the second part of the 
Astrolabe (Gl. Ch., 648) explains Chaucer's meaning here. Each day 
begins with the hour of the planet which it is named for. Subsequent 
hours follow according to this series repeated through the twenty-four : 
I. Saturnus ; 2. Iupiter ; 3. Mars; 4. Sol ; 5. Venus; 6. Mercurius ; 
7. Luna. (A gloss on fol. 33 a of Ms. Rawl. D. 913 of the Astrolabe 
gives this list with the mnemonic SIM S VAT, Luna Septima [Ms. Sb, 
mistake for S a ~\ est.) Thus the first hour of Sunday morning would be 



NOTES 171 

Sun's hour, the second hour, Venus's, and so on. Venus's hour at the 
time when Palamon arose would be the twenty-second hour of Sunday, 
or the second hour before sunrise on Monday (dies lunce) morning. 
Emily arose and sought Diana's temple (v. 1274) in her propitious 
hour, that is, Luna's hour, the first of Monday (dies lunce). Cf. note 
to v. 2367. 

2271-2360. Palamon's prayer is a close imitation of Teseide, VII. 

43-49- r x " 

2274. Stress Dyane. 

2288. ' On the contrary, it is a good thing for a man to be un- 
hampered in telling a story.' 

2294. In Stace of Thebes, ' in Statius's Thebaiad.' Chaucer seems 
anxious that the reader shall consider Statius as his authority rather than 
Boccaccio. It is a common trick of his thus to mislead the serious- 
minded student. He is really following the Teseide, VII. 76-90. 

2299. Diana was the Proserpina of the under-world. The other 
" form " referred to in v. 2313 was Luna. 

2 333> 2 334- F° r rhyme, see § 278. 

2367. The nexte houre ofMarsfolwynge this. ' The nearest hour * of 
Mars would be the fourth after sunset. See note to v. 221 7. This was the 
propitious time for Arcite's prayer to Mars. For rhythm, see § 260 (b). 

2373. Arcite's prayer is found in the Teseide, VII. 23-28. 

2396. dooth me . . . endure, ' makes me endure.' 

2397. synke or fleete, like ride or go, is a stereotyped expression for 
to be saved or perish. 

2433. and seyde, ' and the voice said.' 

2443. Saturn's aspect in astrology was cold. Chaucer translates 
Boethius, IV. metr. i., iter gelidi senis, " the weie of the olde colde 
Satumus" (Boece, 1169, Gl. Ch., p. 404). The gloss to this passage 
tells us that Saturn is affectiuus gelu et frigoris. Saturn's influence in 
astrology provoked strife, and hence the reference in 2451, 2456, etc. 

2454. His course, according to mediaeval astronomy " complet pluri 
tempore quam sol vel luna." 

2456. Chaucer, as we learn from the Astrolabe, was interested in 
astrology, and intended to write a treatise on the subject. We have 
here the result of some of his astrological study. The evil influences of 
Saturn as he gives them are found in the fourth book of the " Para- 
phrase " of Ptolemaeus' Tetrabiblos made by Proclus Diadochus (fifth 
century A.D.), Chapter IX. (I quote from a mediaeval Latin translation) : 



172 NOTES 

" Saturnus . . . in Argo navi insistens naufragio exitiam minatur" 
v. 2456; " si in horoscope* alter i luminum opponatur, in career ibus vitam 
Anient" v. 2457; " in quadrate aspectu ant opposito solem intuens . . . 
mortem adfert suffocatione antpopuli tumultibus, aut suspendio, ant stran- 
gulatione" w. 2458-2460 ; " cum Mercurio configuratus ex venena- 
torwu ictibus . . . mortem designate v. 2460 ; " in tropicis signis vel 
quadrupedibns " (e.g. ' in the leoun ') ..." necem ex ruina signiji- 
cat" vv. 2462-2465 (the period after leoun in the usual punctuation of 
the text is therefore wrong) ; "Satumi itaque Stella dominium mortis ha- 
bens, neces ac exitus adfert, morbis diutumis tabe, . . . febribus frigidis, 
. . . et quotquot f rigor is excessu nocumentum afferwitf w. 2567-2569. 

2457. derfce cote means Mark cottage' or 'outbuilding,' not 'dun- 
geon.' Perhaps Chaucer is referring to some well-known instance of 
imprisonment in such a place. 

2466. For rhythm, see § 260 (a) ; compare also § 183. 

2491 ff. Chaucer here shows his peculiar power of vivid description. 
The life and movement in this scene are far superior to Boccaccio's 
version. Light, color, sound — even the gossip of the crowd — each 
has its place in the narrative. The bustle and confusion are carried 
out in the movement of the verse — notice the frequent reversals of 
the rhythm, the great number of primary and unstressed syllables, 
and the absence of secondarily stressed ones, the frequency of run-on 
lines. 

2495. T ne sleedeswGVQ the war-horses, the palfrey 's, ordinary saddle- 
horses or hacks. 

2503. Nailynge the speres seems to mean studding them with nails. 
Shields and other parts of the armor were thus treated, but I cannot 
find an instance of spears having been so strengthened. 

2504. Giggynge (O.Fr. guige), the fittings by w T hich the shield was 
fastened on the arm. 

2516 ff. The keen partisanship of the crowd, as they pick out their 
favorites, is admirably represented: " Blackbeard is my favorite; 7 ' 
" Baldhead is mine ; " " The fellow that looks so grim will be a good 
fighter ; " " Look at that man's battle-axe, it must weigh all of twenty 
pounds." 

2519, 2520. The third person pronoun is here used indefinitely. 

2545. The subjunctive is here used as imperative. 

2552. The stress upon noght is significant. ' He shall be made 
prisoner, and not slain, as the custom is.' 



NOTES 173 

f X " 

2553. Stress ordeyned. 

2554. sheila 'must go.' 
2581. See vv. 1906 ff. 

2602 ff. Notice how the reversals of the rhythm vividly carry out 
the rapidity of the movement : — 

" In goon the speres" etc. 

" In gooth the sharpe spore" etc. 

" Vp spryngen speres" 

" Out goon the swerdes." 

" Out brest the bloody 

2680-2683. Two lines are inserted here in editions of Chaucer that 
are evidently a scribe's addition. They are only found in 8 and e. 

2683. i.e. he saw no one else just as he loved no one else. In E 
241 we have a similar expression : — 

1 Virtue . , . as wel in chere as dede? 

2712. Charms or incantations were a part of the medical science of 
Chaucer's time ; they are to be found side by side with drug prescrip- 
tions in M.E. pharmacopoeia. 

2725. 'One person captured by twenty knights,' cf. v. 2641. 

2726. If the line is right as it stands in the Mss., the unstressed 
syllable beginning the second half of the line is omitted; but it is more 
likely that the scribes have neglected the -e of the dative ending pre- 
served in by arme ; see § 98. 

2731. leet crye . . . the gree, 'issued a proclamation announcing 
that the contest was a tie.' 

2749. Mediaeval medicine again : ' vertue expulsative,' or ' animal,' 
corresponding roughly to power of recuperation. 

2761. This al and som, 'this is the whole story.' 

2762. For which, ' and for this reason.' 

2765 ff. There are few passages in literature more tender and 
pathetic than these dying words of Arcite. If the student will com- 
pare them with the Teseide, X. 54-63, he will see how many human 
touches Chaucer has given to the scene. The pathos of that ' dwelled 
in his herte syk and soore,' and the simple beauty of ' his spirit chaunged 
hous ' / Indeed, the passage is so affecting that Chaucer has need, 
like Shakspere, to resort to humor, in order to break the strain of it, 



174 NOTES 

and so he gives the scene a sudden turn, 2810 ff. : 'I've never been 
there, and so I can't go any further; I'm neither a prophet nor the 
son of a prophet. Moreover, I cannot find any chapter " On souls " 
in this Table of Contents.' 

2796. shut ben a wyf ' have it in mind to marry.' 
2801. And yet mooreouer, 'and it had advanced still further.' Com- 
pare the description of Socrates' death in the Phcedo. 

2805. Andrew Boorde in his Breuyary (Furnivall, Boordfs Intro- 
duction and Dyetary, p. 89) tells us ' the herte is the laste thynge that 
dothe dye in manne.' 

2815. i.e. Arcite is dead; let Mars conduct his soul to the abode of 
spirits. 

2827. From here to the end Chaucer follows Boccaccio pretty closely. 
2840. The readings of Pin and H4 seem to be attempts to supply 
the unstressed syllable missing at the beginning of the verse. 

2854. The scribes probably wrote the syncopated form of the 3d 
sing. pres. instead of the fuller form casteth. 

2889. It is still a military custom to lead the dead officer's horse in 
his funeral procession. 

2895. A bowe Turkeys was of the shape that Cupid is always repre- 
sented as carrying. Read bozve and the. 
2902. the maister strete, i the high street.' 
2923. Note the two reversals in the verse. 

2987-3013. This little sermon of Theseus' is taken from Boethius, 
de Cons. Phil. II., metr. viii., and IV. y prosa vi., and III., prosa x. 

2987. Firste Moeuere of the cause aboue seems to be a reminiscence 
of Boece, n 15 (Gl. Ch., p. 401), ' thilke deuyne substaunce tornith the 
world and the moevable circle of thitiges.'' The apostrophe itself is 
imitated from the ninth metre of the third book (Gl. Ch., p. 392), ( 
qui perpetua mundum ratione gubernas? The theology of this Metrut?i 
is elaborately explained in the commentary on it. The notions which 
Chaucer uses are (1) that God is the mover of the primum mobile; (2) 
that, while the first cause controls everything, God directs everything to 
its destined end — the supreme good. Hence the rather curious expres- 
sion of v. 2987. The Metrum goes on to say (in Chaucer's translation) 
1 thow byndest the elements by nombres proporcionables, that the coolde 
thinges mowen accord with the hole thinges and the drye thinges with the 
moyste^ (i.e. the four elements). Chaucer substitutes the cheyne of love 
for ' nombres proporcionables? making use of Boethius' notion of the 



NOTES 175 

immanence of love in the universe, as expressed in Book II., metre viii. 
(Gl. Ch., p. 379), ' al this accordaunce of thinges is bounde with love? 
He then passes on to the notion of the relation between Providence and 
Destiny, Book YV., prosa vi., * For purveaunce is thilke deuyne resoun 
that is establissed in the soueryn prince of thinges? 

2995. &* s wrccched world adoun, 'this wretched world below.' 

2996-3002. A general summary of the doctrine of the relation of 
Providence to Destiny, as unfolded in Boethius, YV., prosa vi. 

3002. A statement from Boethius, V., prosa vi. : ' The commune 
iugement of alle creatures reasonables thanne is this : that god is 
eterne'' (Boece, 1859). 

3007-3010. Boethius' argument for the existence of God in Book 
III., prosa x.: * For the nature of thinges ne took itat hir begynnynge 
of thinges amenused (' deficient') and inparfit, but it procedith of 
thinges that been alle hole and absolut, and descendith so doun into 
vttereste thinges and into e??ipty and withouten fruyt^ (Boece, 889). 

301 iff. Cf. Boece, 1863: 'For alle thing that lyueth in tyme . . . 
procedith fro7n preterites into futures] perhaps with Aquinas' gloss : 
' infinitam durationem temporis mobilis, i.e. successiui? 

3016. seen at ye, ' see clearly.' But it must be confessed that 
Theseus' argument is somewhat confused. 

301 7-3026. These illustrations are not found in Boethius in this form, 
but the statement in 3029 is; cf. Boece, 1908: * it byhouith by necessite 
that alle men ben mortal or dedly? 

3036. God is called the 'prince of alle thinges'* in Boece, 891. All 
things return to him as to their source. He is frequently called the 
we lie of things, the we lie of good, in the Boece. 

3084. kynges brother sone, see § 97 (b). 

The Prologue of the Nonnes Prestes Tale 

3957. The Monk has been telling a series of stories about the mis- 
fortunes of great men, a sort of De Casibus Virorum Illustrium, of 
Lucifer, of Adam, of Holofernes, of Samson, of Alexander, of Caesar, 
and the rest, f enough and more besides ' in this mournful strain. At 
length, when forbearance has ceased to be a virtue, the Knight inter- 
rupts the Monk's moralizing on the fickleness of fortune as illustrated 
by the ' tragedie ' of Croesus, with the opening words of our prologue. 

3959. *A little gloom is enough for most people. For my part I 



176 NOTES 

like to hear of men who have risen from poverty, men who have 
climbed to good estate and stayed there.' 

3972. The Monk had referred to a definition of Tragedie found in 
the commentary on Boethius in connection with the story of Croesus : — 

" Tragedie is to seyn a certeyn storie 
As olde bookes make?i vs memorie, 
Of Jiym that stood in greet prosperitee 
And is y fallen out of heigh degree 
Into miser ie t and endeth wrecchedly" 

-B 3163 ft. 

(The commentator's nota was, "Tragedia est carmen reprehensiuum 
viciorum, incipiens a prosperitate desinens in adversitate.") His last 
words were about Fortune, covering ' hire brighte face with a cloude.' 
Harry Baily makes fun of this scholastic definition of ' tragedie ' and 
such stuff about fortune, with the very practical wisdom, ' There is no 
use in crying over spilt milk.' 

3989 ff. Note the humor in this remark about the Monk's preach- 
ment. 

3995. i.e. * tell us about something you are familiar with ' — a refer- 
ence to the Monk's fondness for hunting mentioned in the Prologue, 
with a sly hint at his not being a very good illustration of poverty and 
misfortune. 

4000. " Sir John " was a popular M.E. designation of a priest. 

4002. l Look pleasant though you are riding such a poor horse. 
Never mind that, if he serves your purpose, what need you care?' 

4005. * A merry heart goes all the day.' 

4010. Is there not a slightly ironical tone in This szaeele preesl t 
'This nice little priest,' with a conciliatory addition, 'This courteous 
man, who I'm sure will tell us a good story ' ? 

The Nonnes Preestes Tale 

The story put into the mouth of the Nonnes Freest is an ancient tale 
which appears in Latin, in English, in German, and in French. The 
earliest of the French versions is one by Marie de France (thirteenth 
century) ; it professes to be a translation from English, and in some Mss. 
of the tale Li reis Alured '(King Alfred) is cited as the author of the 
story. Later it was expanded in a version which forms part of Le 



NOTES 177 

Roman du Renart. Chaucer's story is more like this latter. (See 
Chaucer Society Originals and Analogues, p. ill ff. ) 
4041. orgon, a plural noun in M.E. (Lat. organa). 
4045-4048. Chaucer says that he not only was as sure as a clock in 
his crowing, but he also knew what he was about, and was as good as an 
astrolabe, knowing the hours for the latitude he lived in. Astrolabes had 
to be adapted to a given latitude, an 1 were useless outside of it. 

4049. fyn coral, from the dropping of the inflectional syllable, seems 
to be a compound noun. 

4056. For rhythm, see § 259 (b). 
4060. For the definite form of fair, see § 115 (d). 
4069. Jn the Athenceum for October 24, 1896, p. 566, Professor 
Skeat communicates a stanza of this song from Ms. Trinity (Camb.?) 
R. 3. 19, folio 154: 

" My lefe is faren in lond 
Alias why ys she so, 
And I am so sore bound 

I may not come her to. 
She hath my hert in hold 

Where euer she ryde or go, 
With trew[e] loue a thousand fold." 

vv. 4064, 4065 contain an allusion to the fifth line. 

41 14. fumes were noxious vapors which rose from the stomach into 
the brain, cf. N.E.D. fume, 4. 

complecciouns, 'collections of humors.' Chaucer treats this subject 
more at length in the opening lines of the Hous of Fame (Gl. Ch., p. 

558)- 

41 18. The rede Colera was one of the four humors, the excess of 
any one of which caused disease. They were sanguis, cholera, melan- 
cholia, and phlegma, cf. A 587, A 335, A 625. 
41 21. rede beestes, like the fox. 

41 31. a quotation from Cato's Distiches. In the M.E. translation 
of Liber Catonis, edited by Goldberg (Anglia, Vol. VII.), vv. 401, 402 
(p. 174), occurs : 

"Jnng bat \>e mette in sweuene 
Telle hit not wakand," 

corresponding to the Cato, de Moribus, II. 31 : somnia ne cures. 
N 



178 NOTES 

415 1. Dame Pertelot's prescription is quite correct according to 
mediaeval practice. Catapuce is the chief ingredient of a laxative in 
Mittelejig. Medicinbuch, p. 134. We have also the statement that 
"Fumiter ageyn feuerys tercian is a souereyn medicin" in Anglia, 
XVIII. p. 330. , „ „ , „ 

4156. The rhythm, if we may read herbyue, is normal; if herbyne, 
see § 259 (b). 

ther mery is: this phrase is usually rendered ' where pleasure is.' 
But mery as a substantive is unusual, to say the least, and makes but 
lame sense. The word mery (X.E. 'marrow') frequently in M.E. 
refers to the interior part of berry-like fruits. In Palladius, IV. 177, 
the word describes the pulp of a lime. It also refers to the tender 
shoots at the end of branches. With either of these meanings the 
passage makes good sense. The or for of in Gg and Pe may be a 
trace of the original reading. 

4157. The rhythm of the verse is: 

' x " ' • x x ' x 1 x ' 

Pekke hem vp right as they gr owe and ete hem yn (§ 259 (c)) ; 

or possibly, 

ft x t . n t x 1 

Pekke hem vp right as they gr owe ^ etc. (§ 259 (b)). 

4172. ' We need not argue the matter, it is self-evident.' 

4174. Oon of the gretteste auctour that men rede is common M.E. 
syntax. The N.E. idiom demands the plural. Chaucer evidently refers 
to Valerius Maximus (de Somniis), who tells the stories that follow, 
and points the reference by an allusion to ' Maximus ' in his 'gretteste.' 
Cicero (de Divinatione, I. 27) also relates them. It is likely, however, 
that Valerius Maximus is either quoted at second hand, or is given as 
the source with the intention of misleading the reader. (See the mono- 
graph of Miss K. O. Petersen, On the Sources of the Nonne Prestes 
Tale, Boston, 1898.) 

4226. Note how e alters the verse to get rid of the two unstressed 
syllables at the beginning of the second half-verse. 

4232. The line is an Alexandrine. Again e tries to get rid of the 
irregularity. If there is any error in the original it is more likely 
that he has intruded than that heere has. 

4254. rede, ' read about.' 

4268. agayn the day, 'toward daybreak/ 

4300. The Legend of St. Kenelm is told by Florence of Worcester. 



NOTES 179 

See Freeman, Old English History, p. 8j. Chaucer probably refers to 
one of the later versions like those found in the fifteenth century 
legendaries, which add the incident of the dream. 

4306. to kepe hym weel, etc., ' guard himself carefully against 
treason.' 

4310. I hadde leuere than my sherte, ' I would give my boots.' 

4314. Chaucer here, as in the Parlement of Foules, 96 rT., refers to 
Macrobius' Commentary on Cicero's Somnium Scipionis (Africani), a 
mediaeval classic on the subject of dreams ; this and the scriptural 
references which follow he probably quotes at second-hand. Miss 
Petersen (in the work cited above) has shown good reason to think 
that for these references, as well as for the Valerius story, Chaucer 
was indebted to a fourteenth-century commentary by Richard Holkot. 

4318. See Daniel vii. 1— 15. 

4320. See Genesis xxxvii. 5-10. 

4323. See Genesis xli. 1-7. 

4324. See Genesis xl. 

4328. The dream of Croesus is told in the Commentary on Boe- 
thius, de Cons. Phil. II., prosa ii. "One night Croesus dreamed that 
he was on a high tree, where he was made wet by Jupiter and dried 
by Phoebus. When he related this dream to his daughter, Fania, she 
said, ' You will be captured by Cyrus and hanged on a cross, where the 
rain will moisten you and the sun will dry you. ' " Chaucer tells the 
story at length in B 3930-3948 (Gl. Ch., p. 131), having taken it from 
the Boethius Commentary. 

4331. Andromache's dream forms a part of the mediaeval version 
of the Troy legend. 

4344. Chaunticleer evidently did not like bad-tasting medicines. 

4366. * Royally ' brave with the coming of the daylight. 

4377. It- was a mediaeval tradition that the world was created in 
March. 

4380. A mock importance is given to the tragedy which follows 
by this circumstantial detail. 

4384. Taking the ' degree of the sun/ as given in v. 4385, and the 
sun's altitude, given in 4389, and applying the 3d Conclusio of Pt. II. 
of Chaucer's Astrolabe (Gl. Ch., p. 644), we find the ' label silti?tg in 
the bordure vpon a capital letter that is clepid an AY i.e. it was about 
nine o'clock, and the day of the month must have been May 3. This 
makes it difficult to explain i syn Marche began,' a difficulty which the 



l8o NOTES 

scribe of H4 noticed and attempted to remedy ; see variant reading. 
We should expect ended. Could Chaucer have written Syn Marche ys 
(or ? be) gonl ' March having passed by.' Cf. note on v. 1521. This 
is one of the many instances in the Canterbury Tales which shows 
Chaucer's care in unimportant details. Cf. the similar notation of 
time in B 1— 15. 

4398. A sly hint at the chronicles the Monk has been telling illus- 
trating this very point, souereyn notabilitee, i.e. an important nota 
bene written on the margin of a chronicle. 

4401 ff. is, of course, ironical, and a sly allusion to the popularity of 
romances among women. 

4417. Genyloun. For the story of Genyloun's betrayal of Roland, 
see Caxton's Lyf of Charles the Grete, ed. Herrtage, for the E.E.T.S., 
Pt. II., p. 230 ff. 

4431 ff. Chaucer refers to the question of foreordination and free 
will discussed in Boethius, de Cons. Phil. V., prosa 6. Augustine is 
St. Augustine (fourth century), who treats this subject in the fifth 
book of his de Civitate Dei. Thomas Bradwardyn was a Merton Pro- 
fessor of Divinity and Archbishop of Canterbury of the fourteenth cen- 
tury, who discussed the question of providence and free will in his 
de Causa Dei. He also, according to Pitseus, wrote a separate tract, 
de Prrzsentia et Predestinatione. 

4440. This doctrine of necessitie condicioneel is found in Boethius; 
cf. the Boece, 1908, 1909 (Gl. Ch., p. 436) : " For certes ther ben two 
maneris of necessites : that odn necessite is sy tuple, as thus; that it 
byhouith by necessite that alle men ben mortal or dedly ; another neces- 
site is condicionel as thus : y if thou wost that a man ivalketh it byhouith 
by necessite that he walke." In Troilus and Creiseyde, IV. 960 ff. (Gl. 
Ch., p. 522), Chaucer ' has to doon of swich matere ' in extenso. 

4441-4445. A gallant apology, surely, but has it not a* touch of 
irony withal ? 

4461. The ' Phisiologus' was a Latin collection of allegorical fables, 
widely current in medueval literature. It was translated into Old French, 
German, and Old English. Tyrwhitt quotes the few verses from the 
chapter de Sirenis which Chaucer refers to : — 

" Sirentz sunt monstra maris resonantia magnis 
Vocibus et modalis cant us formantia multis." 

4484. Boethius was the author of a tract, de JMusica. 



NOTES l8l 

4502. The story is told in the Speculum Stultorum, a satirical poem 
written by Nigellus Wireker (thirteenth century) under the pseudonym 
Burnellus ; burnellus is mediaeval Latin for 'donkey' (e.g. Ms. B. M. 
Royal, 17 C. xvii., has l hie burnellus, a lytyl asse 7 ), hence Chaucer's 
allusion. The loss of the benefice was due to the cock's being late 
in his crowing on the morning that the priest was to be ordained, so 
that the candidate missed the ceremony. 

4537. As Tyrwhitt pointed out, Geoffrey de Vinsauf published a 
poem not long after the death of Richard I., in which he apostrophized 
Friday {dies Veneris) as being the instrument of the king's death. 

4585. Chaucer refers to ' Jack Straw's rebellion,' 1381, in which many 
of the Flemish merchants of London were dragged into the streets and 
slain. 

4608. Seems to be another instance of omission of unstressed syllable 
in the caesura. 

4631. 2 Timothy hi. 16, is the text which Chaucer refers to. 

4635. In the margin of a appears the note, Do minus archiepis- 
copus Cantuariensis, probably a reference to this form of benediction 
as being peculiar to the Archbishop of Canterbury. 



GLOSSARY 



To put the whole vocabulary of Chaucer, with all its varying forms 
and varying meanings, into a glossary like this would require the allot- 
ment to it of a disproportionate space in the book. Only such words, 
therefore, as are quite different in form and meaning from the corre- 
sponding N.E. words will be found here. But the student must not 
infer that in cases where the text word does not appear in the glossary 
its meaning is therefore exactly the same as that of the N.E. word 
which corresponds to it. Various inflectional forms, especially those of 
the strong verbs, will be found in the index to the Grammar. O.E., 
O.N., and O.Fr. forms have been added for practise in phonology. Un- 
marked vowels in stressed syllables are short, ou represents u : to dis- 
tinguish between 6 and ii written as 6, the student must trust to his 
knowledge of the grammar. 



a, an unstressed form of on; 2766, 

2725; see § 117. 
a, a-, an unstressed form of on, 

1621, 2934. 
ablen (Kent, abeggen, A 3938), 

to atone for, 2303; Q.'E.abycgan, 

§ 173, note I. 
able, fit, 167; O.Fr. liable. 
ab^d, delay, 965; O.E. *abdd. 
aboughte, see ablen. 
aboute, in turn, 890. 
abouen, above; O.E. abufan. 
abrayde, to awake, B 4198; O.E. 

a-bregdan. 
abregge, shorten (by making the 

time pass quickly), 2999; O.Fr. 

abregier. 
aehaat, buying, 571. 



achatour, purveyor, 568; O.Fr. 
achateur. 

affile his tonge, polish his lan- 
guage, 712. 

after, according to, 125; after 
oon, see oon. 

agQn,to pass by, 1276; pass away, 
1782; O.E. agdn. 

agrief = on gref ; take it not 
a-, do not be displeased, B 4083. 

aiel, a grandfather, 2477 ; O.Fr. 
aiel. 

al, adj., all, entire; adv., quite, alto- 
gether, 76, 150, B 4167; conj., al- 
though, 71, 297, 734; see § 143. 

al and some, one and all. 

alaunt, a wolf hound, 2148; pi. 
alauntz; see § 8. 

83 



1 84 



GLOSSARY 



al be, although, 297. 
alderbest, best of all, see § 113. 
alderman, the chief officer of a 
guild, 372; O.E. ealdorjnon, cf. 

ale- stake, the pole on which an 

ale-house sign was hung, 667; 

O.E. ealu, staca. 
algate. always, in every case, 571 ; 

cf. O.N. alia gotu. 
align te, to alight, 722, 983; O.E. 

a Uhlan. 
allegge, adduce, 3000; O.Fr. alle- 

gier. 
aller, see § 113. 
als =: also, B 3976. 
alsQ, as, 730; O.E. eal(l)-swd. 
amblere, 469, an ambling horse, 

a pacer; cf. O.Fr. ambleur. 
amonges, amongst, 759; O.E. on, 

ge-monge with -es suffix, § 122. 
amorwe, on the morrow, 822; 

O.E. on, morgen; see § 80 (d). 
amounte, signify, mean, 2362; 

O.Fr. amounter. 
aniyddes, amidst, in the middle, 

2009; O.E. on, middy -es. 
and, if, 1214. 

an-honge, to hang up, B 4252. 
anlaas, a short, two-edged sword 

or dagger, usually worn at the 

girdle, 357; cf. Lat. anelatius. 
anyn (an oon), forthwith, 32; 

O.E. on, an. 
a paas, at a walk, slowly, 221 7, 2897. 
apalle, to become feeble, 3053; 

O.Fr. apallir. 
apayd, contented, satisfied, 1868; 

cf. O.Fr. apaier. 



ape, fool, 706; O.E. apa. 
apparaillynge, preparation, 2913; 

cf. O.Fr. appareiller. 
appetit, desire, 1680; O.Fr. ap- 

petit 
apiked, 365, (?) 'sharpened' with 

geere in the sense of 'weapons.' 
areste, to stop, to check, 827; to 

take into custody, B 42 10; O.Fr. 

ar ester. 
arette, ascribe, impute, 2729; O.Fr. 

aretter. 
armee, an expedition by sea, 60; 

O.Fr. armee. 
arm-greet, the size of one's arm, 

2145; O.E. earm, great; see 

§ 194. 

armypotente, mighty in arms, 
1982; It. armipotente. 

array, dress, equipage, 41, 934; 
O.Fr. arret. 

arraye, to set in order, dress, 
adorn, 2090; O.Fr. arreier. 

arreest, custody, 1310; the stop 
for the spear when couched for 
the attack, 2602; O.Fr. arest. 

ars-metrike, arithmetic, mensu- 
ration, 1898; O.Fr. arismetique, 
confused with Lat. ars metrica. 

arwe, arrow, 104; O.E. earh ; see 
§ 80 (e). 

as, as if, 81, 636; O.E. eal-swa, 
with stress on first syllable; as 
nowthe (O.E. nufia), now, at 
present, 462, 2264 ; as wel as, in 
like manner, 2404. 

ascendent, the part of the zodiac 
that is ascending above the hori- 
zon, 417. 



GLOSSARY 



I8 5 



aslake, to moderate, to appease, 
1760; O.E. aslacian. 

a-sonder, asunder, 491 ; O.E. o?i, 
sun dor. 

assaut, assault, 989; O.Fr. assaut. 

assaye, to try, 181 1; O.Fr. as- 
sat er. 

assege, besiege, 881 ; O.Yx.asegier. 

assente, agree to, 374. 

asshen, ashes, 1302; O.E. asce, 

§ 105- 

assoillyng, absolution, acquittal, 

661 ; O.Fr. assoiler. 
assiiren, confirm, 1924; O.Fr. as- 

seurer. 
asterte, to escape, 1595. 
ast^ne (p.p., astyned), astonish, 

2361 ; O.Fr. estoner. 
ast^red, stored, 609; O.Fr. es- 

torer. 
astronomye, astrology, 414. 
asure, azure, B4052. 
at, according to, 2192; for, 1675. 
at eye, see ye. 

atr^de, outwit, 2449 ; O.E. at- (pre- 
fix denoting separation), rcedan. 
atrenne, outrun, 2449; O.E. at- ; 

O.N. renna. 
attame, to cut into, enter upon, 

B 4009. 
atte, at the ; O.E. at pe ; see § 87. 
attempree, temperate, moderate, 

B 4028. 
atthainaunt, adamant, 1305; 

O.Fr. adamant. 
auter, alter, 1905; O.Fr. auter. 
avaunce, to be profitable, 246; 

O.Fr. avancer. 
avauut, boast, 227 ; O.Fr. avanter. 



auauntage, advantage, 1293; 

O.Fr. avantage. 
auenture, luck, accident, 25, 795. 
avow, vow, promise, 2237; cf. 

O.Fr. avouer. 
auys, consideration, opinion, 786, 

1868 ; O.Fr. avis. 
awe, fear, dread, 654; O.N. agi. 
axe, to ask, 1347; O.E. acsian. 
axyng, asking, demanding, 1826. 
ay, ever, aye, 63; O.N. ei. 
ayeyns, against, 1787; O.E. on- 

gegn, ongagn, -es. 



bacheler, a candidate for knight- 
hood, 80; O.Fr. bacheler. 

baillif, bailiff, 603; see note; 
O.Fr. baillif. 

bake-m^te, pastry, 343. 

balled, bald, 198. 

bane, destruction, death, 1097, 
1681; O.E. bana. 

baner, the knight-banneret's 
standard ; it was four-square as 
distinct from the pointed pen- 
non, 978, 2410; O.Fr. banere. 

barbour, a barber, 2025; O.Fr. 
barbeor. 

bare, uncovered, 683, 2877; O.E. 
bar. 

bareyne, devoid of, 1244, 1977; 
O.Fr. baraigne. 

baronage, an assembly of barons, 
3096; O.Fr. baronage. 

barre, bar of a door, 1075; O.Fr. 
bar re. 

barres, originally bars strengthen- 
ing the buckle-holes, but later 



1 86 



GLOSSARY 



any sort of ornament of a girdle, 

329. 
batailled, having battlements, 

B 4050. 
bawdryk, a baldric or belt over 

the shoulder, 1 16. 
be, ben, been, 60; O.E. beon ; cf. 

§ 186. 

begynne, to begin; O.E. begin- 
nan. 

beer, case for a pillow, 694. 

beere, a bier, 2871; O.E. bcei- 
(fern.). 

beggestere, originally a female 
beggar, 242. 

beme, a trumpet, B 4588; O.E. 
be ma. 

benedicite, clipped to ben' diste, 
a common exclamation like 'God 
bless us ! ' 1 785 ; Lat. benedicite. 

bente, declivity of a hill, a plain, 
open field, 1981. 

benygne, kind, 518; O.Fr. bejiin. 

b^re, to conduct one's self, behave, 
796 ; O.E. beran. 

b^re, a bear, 1640; O.E. bera. 

beste, atte, in the best way pos- 
sible; similarly, for the beste, 
788. 

besy, Kent form of bisy, busy, 
321 ; O.E. bisig, *bysig. 

bet, better, 242; O.E. bet. 

b^te, to beat, 2162; yb^te, em- 
bossed, 979; O.E. be at an. 

bete, to mend a fire, to kindle, 
2253; O.E. be tan. 

bi-bledde, covered over with 
blood, 2002; O.E. be-, bledan. 

bidde, to bid; see § 161. 



bifalle, to happen, 19, 1009 ; be- 
fall, 795, 1S05 ; O.E. befeallan; 

see § 163. 
bif<^re, bif^ren, before, 377, 450, 

1376 ; O.E. bejoran. 
biliQlde, to behold; O.E. be- 

heal dan ; cf. § 47. 
bihQte, to promise, 1854; O.E. 

bihatan. 
biknowe, to acknowledge, 1556, 

B4251; O.E. becnawan. 
bile, beak, B 405 1; O.E. bile. 
biqu^the, to bequeath, 2768; 

O.E. be ewe pan. 
biraft, p.p. of bir^ue, 1361. 
bir^ue (with dat.), to take away 

from; O.E. bereafian. 
biseke, to beseech, 918; O.E. be-, 

secan. 
bisette, to set to work, 279; to set 

in order, 3012; O.E. besettan. 
bismotered (an apax legomenon 

in 76), soiled, spotted. 
bisy, see besy. 
biside, beside, near, 445; O.E. 

be si dan. 
bisides, beside, hym besides, 

about him, 402, § 122. 
bisynesse, labor, care, anxiety, 

520, 1007. 
bit, see bidde, § 177. 
bithinke, to reflect, consider ; I 

am bethought, it occurs to 

me, 767; O.E. bipencan. 
bitwixe, betwixt, 277; O.E. be- 

tweox, betwyx. 
biwreye, to bewray, betray, 2229, 

B 4241 ; O.E. be-, wregan. 
blankmanger, a compound of 



GLOSSARY 



l8 7 



minced fowl with cream, sugar, 

and flour, 387; O.Fr. blancman- 

ger. 
blede, to bleed, 1801 ; to be bloody, 

be hurt, 145; O.E. bledan. 
blenche, flinch, start back, 1078; 

(?) O.E. blencan; cf. § 175(6). 
blisful, blessed, 17, 770. 
blood, kin, 1583; O.E. blod. 
blyue, quickly, 2697; e.M.E. bilife, 

O.E. bi-, life. 
bokeler, buckler, 112, 471; O.Fr. 

bocler. 
boket, bucket, 1533. 
bole, bull, 2139 ; O.N. bole. 
bone, prayer, petition, 2269; O.N. 

bon (fern,). 
b$ras, borax, 630; O.Fr. boras. 
bgrd, table, 52; O.E. bore/. 
borwe (dat.), pledge, security, 

1622; O.E. borg. 
bote, remedy, 424; O.E. A?/ (fern.). 
bote, boot, 203, 273; O.Fr. bote. 
boteler, butler, B 4324. 
bQthe, both, 1831; O.N. bd/rir. 
botme, bottom, B 4291; O.E. 

bo/ me. 
bolik, body, 2746; O.E. bile. 
boTir, inner room, B 4022; O.E. 

bur. 
bowes, boughs, 2917; O.E. boh, 

pi. bo gas. 
bracer, guard for the arm, in; 

cf. O. Fr. brassettre. 
brak, see br^ke. 
brast. see bresten. 
brawn, brawn, muscle, 546, 2135; 

O.Fr. braon. 
brede, breadth, 1970; O.E brado. 



breem, a fresh-water fish, bream, 

350; O.Fr. bresme. 
breeth, breath, 5; O.E. brie/?. 
br^ke, to break, 551; O.E. bre- 

ean. 
brenie, fiercely, furiously, 1699; 

O.E. breme. 
bren, bran, B4430; O.Fr. bren. 
brend, burnished, bright, 2162; 

from brenne. 
brende, see brenne. 
brenne, to burn, 2331 ; O.E. ber- 

nan, O.N. breiina. 
brennynge, burning, 996. 
brennyngly, fiercely, ardently, 

1564. 
brent, burnt, 2017. See brenne. 
brere, brier, 1532; O.E. brer 

(masc). 
bresten, to burst, 1980; to- 

breste, break in two, 261 1; 

O.E. berstan. 
bretful, full to the brim, 687, 

2164. 
bretherhed, brotherhood, broth- 
ers of a religious order, 511 ; 

O.E. breper + lied. 
brid, bird, B 4071; O.E. brid. 
brooch, a jewel or pendant. The 

word broche was early confused 

with brooch, a spit, bodkin, and 

hence the spelling; O.Fr. broche. 
brQde, plainly, 739. 
br^ke, see br^ke. 
brond, firebrand, burning log, 

2 3 39> O.E. brand. 
brood, broad, 155, 471, 3024; 

O.E. brad. 
broun, brown, 109; O.E. briln. 



i88 



GLOSSARY 



browdynge, embroidery, 2498. 
broyded, braided, 1049. 
brymstoon, brimstone, 629. 
biilte, built, 1548; from bulde; 

O.E. *byldan. 
bulte, bolt, sift, B 4430; O.Fr. 

buleter. 
burdoun, bar a stif, sang a 

loud bass, 673. 
burgeys, citizen, burgess, 369; 

O.Fr. burgeis. 
burned, burnished, 1983; O.Fr. 

burnir. 
busk (North.), bussh, bush, 15 17, 

2013. 
but, but if, if, unless, 351, 582; 

O.E. biite ; see § 57. 
by, in, 595; in the case of, 1673; 

by myself, in my own case, 181 3. 
by and by, side by side, ion; 

O.E. bi and In. 
by-iape, befool, make sport of, 

1585. 
byynge, buying, 569; O.E. bycgan. 



caas, chance, misfortune, 844; pi. 

cases (at law), 323; O.Fr. cas. 
caas, quiver, 2358 ; cf. O.Fr. casse. 
eaeche, to catch, take, 498; O.Fr. 

cachier, 
can, see kan. 
eantel, corner, part, 3008; O.Fr. 

cant el. 
cappe, hood; sette hir aller 

cappe, overreached, swindled 

them all, 586; O.E. cccppe. 
careyne, carrion, carcass, 2013; 

O.Fr. caroig.ne. 



carl, churl, fellow, 545 ; O.N. 

karl. 
carole, a round dance, 1931; 

O.Fr. cai'ole. 
carpe, talk, chatter, perhaps with 

sub-meaning of criticise, 474; 

O.N. ka?'pa. 
carte, chariot, cart, 2022; O.N. 

kartr. 
eartere, charioteer, 2022. 
cast, plot, 2468; O.N. kast. 
caste, devise, suppose, 2172, 2854, 

B 4265 ; O.N. kasta. 
catapuce, spurge, B 4155. 
catel, goods, valuable property 

of any kind, 373, 540; O.Fr. 

catel. 
caytyf, wretched, a wretch, 924, 

1552, 1 71 7; O.Fr. caitif. 
ceint, girdle, 329; O.Fr. ceint. 
celle, a small religious house de- 
pendent on a larger one, 172; 

cell, 1376. 
centaure, centaury, 4153. 
cerial, oke, a kind of oak, holm 

oak, 2290. 
certes, certainly, 1145. 
ceruce, lead ointment, 630; F. 

ceruse, 
champartie, a partnership in 

dominion, 1949. 
ehampioun, a champion, almost 

equivalent to ' prize-fighter,' 239; 

O.Fr. champion. 
chape, to furnish with a chape, i.e. 

the metal point of a scabbard, 

N.E.D. 
chapman, a merchant, super- 
cargo, 397; O.E. ceapniann. 



GLOSSARY 



189 



char, car, chariot, 21 38 ; O.Fr. char. 
charge, harm, 1284, 2287; O.Fr. 

charge. 
chasteyu, a chestnut tree, 2922; 

O.Fr. chastaigne. 
chaunce, chance, hap, 1752; 

O.Fr. cheance. 
chaunge, to change, 348; O.Fr. 

ckangier. 
chauntrie, an endowment to pay 

for masses for the souls of the 

founder's family, 510; O.Fr. 

chanter ie. 
cheere, face, cheer, 139,728,913; 

O.Fr. chere. 
cherl, fellow, churl, 2459; O.K. 

ceorl. 
chese, to choose, 1595, 1614; 

O.E. ceosan. 
cheuentein, captain, 2555. 
cheuisaunce, arrangement; O.Fr. 

chevissance. 
chiden, to chide, scold, 531 ; O.E. 

citia n. 
chiken, a chicken, 380; O.E. 

cicen, ciccen. 
chirkyng, creaking, 2004; cf. 

cea rcia n (?) * cierca n . 
chiualrie, knighthood, prowess 

in battle, 45, 865; a body of 

men-at-arms, 878. 
chyuachfe, an expedition, 85; 

O.Fr. chevanchie. 
cronycle, a chronicle, B4398. 
citole, a kind of musical instru- 
ment with chords, 1959; O.Fr. 

citole. 
elappe, babble, chatter, B 3971 ; 

O.E. cl&ppan. 



elapse, clasp, 273. 

clariounes, clarion, 251 1; O.Fr. 

clarion. 
claree, a mixed liquor made of 

wine, honey, and spices, 1471 ; 

O.Fr. dare. 
elenche, to clamp. 
cle^ne, adj., clean, pure ; adv., 

cleanly, 133; O.E. clcene. 
clennesse, purity (of life), 506; 

O.E. clcen?iess. 
cl^pe, to call, cry, 121, 643; O.E. 

cleopian. 
cler, adj., clear; eleere, adv., 

clearly, 170, 1062; O.Fr. cler. 
el^ue, cleave, 2934 ; O.E. cleofian. 
clys, enclosure, yard, B4550. 
clothered, clotted, 2745. 
cofre, chest, 298; O.Fr. cofre. 
colere, choler, B 4136; O.Fr. 

coler. 
colered, wearing a collar, 2152. 
colerik, bilious, 587. 
c^l-fox, the Brant fox, a variety 

distinguished for having a greater 

admixture of black in its fur, 

N.E.D., B 4405. 
eolpons, shreds, locks, 679; piles, 

heaps, 2867. 
communes, common people,2509; 

cf. O.Fr. adj. comun. 
compaas, circle, 1889; O.Fr. 

compas. 
eompassyng, artifice, 1996. 
compeer, comrade, 670; O.Fr. 

com pair. 
compleyne, to complain, 908. 
compleynte, grievance, 2862; 

O.Fr. complainle. 



190 



GLOSSARY 



complexioun, temperament, 
character, 333. 

eomposicioun, arrangement, 848; 
O.Fr. eomposicioun. 

condiciouu, social position, ^\ 
manners, 1431; O.Fr. condi- 
tio 11 n. 

confort, pleasure, 773; O.Fr. con- 
fort. 

conforte, strengthen, aid, 2716. 

confus, confused, 2230; O.Fr. 
confus. 

conne, see kan. 

conscience, tender-heartedness, 
pity, 150; O.Fr. conscience. 

conseil, counsel, 1141, almost 
equivalent to 'consent' in 784; 
(?) confidant, 1 147, see note; 
O.Fr. conseil. 

conserue, to preserve, 2329; 
O.Fr. conserver. 

constellacioun, the grouping of 
the heavenly bodies in their as- 
trological relations, 1088. 

coutek, strife, 2003. 

conteuaunce, countenance, 1916; 
O.Fr. contenance. 

contrarie, foe, 1859; O.Fr. adj. 
contraire. 

contree, part of the country, 216, 
121 3; O.Fr. contree. 

conueye, to convoy, escort, 2737. 

cop, top, tip, 554; O.E. copp. 

CQpe, a priest's cloak, 260; O.Fr. 
cope. 

coppe, cup, 134; O.E. citppa. 

corage, heart; O.Fr. corage. 

eoroune, a crown, 2875; O.Fr. 
cor one. 



corrumpable, corruptible, 3010. 
cosyn, cousin, kinsman, 1131; 

O.Fr. cosin. 
CQte, a small house, cottage, 

2457- 

cc*te-armure, a coat worn over 
armor, and charged with the 
bearings of the wearer, 1016, 
2140; O.Fr. cote, armnre. 

couched, trimmed, as with em- 
broidery, 2161, 2933 ; O.Fr. 
couchier. 

eountour, 359, see note. O.Fr. 
conteor. 

countrefete. imitate, 139. 

courtepy, a short upper coat of 
coarse material, 290; Du. kort, 
pije. 

couerchief, kerchief; O.Fr. 
couvrechief. 

con yne, trickery, 604; O.Fr. co- 
vine. 

cowardye, cowardice, 2730. 

coy, quiet, 119; O.Fr. coi. 

cracchynge, scratching, 2S34. 

crafty, skilful, 1897; O.E. crccf- 

crisp, crisp, curled, 2165; O.E. 

crisp. 
Cristophre, an image of St. 

Christopher worn as a brooch, 

115. 
crop, shoot, top (of a tree), 7, 

1532; O.E. cropp. 
croys, cross, 699; O.Fr. crois. 
crulle, curly, curled, 81. 
cryke, creek, harbor, 409; O.Fr. 

crique. 
cure, anxiety, 303, 2853. 



GLOSSARY 



191 



curious, ingenious, clever, 577; 

O.Fr. curious. 
curs, curse, excommunication, 

655; O.E. curs. 
curteis, courteous, 250; O.Fr. 

curtois. 

D 

damoysele, ' Madam,' the title of 
a young woman, whether mar- 
ried or unmarried, B 4060. 

dampned, condemned, doomed, 
1 1 75; O.Fr. damner. § 88 (a). 

dar, dare; O.E. dearr ; see § 185, 

5- 
darreyne, to vindicate one's claim 

to a person or thing by battle, 

1609. 
daun, dan, a title nearly equiva- 
lent to Elizabethan ' Master,' 

1379, B 3982; O.Fr. dan (Lat. 

dominus). 
daunce, the olde, 'the ancient 

game,' i.e. the game of Love, 

476. 
daunger, risk, 402, 1849; O.Fr. 

danger. 
daungerous, haughty, 517. 
(lawe, to dawn, 1676; O.E. dagian. 
dawenynge, dawn; B 4072. 
dayerye, dairy, 597. 
dayesye, a daisy, 332; O.E. 

dodges, cage. 
debaat, strife, 1754. 
debonaire, gracious, 2282; O.Fr. 

debonaire. 
d<*d, dead, 145, 942, 1005; O.E. 

aead. 
dede, deed, 742; O.E. dad (fern.). 



deduyt, pleasure, delight, 2177; 

O.Fr. deduit. 
deedly, deathlike, mortal, 1082. 
deef, deaf, 446; O.E. deaf. 
deel, deal, B 4024; euery deel, in 

ail respects, entirely, 2091, 1825; 

neuer a deel, not a whit, not at 

all, B 4346. 
degree, a step, 1890; rank, station. 

40, 1434; (?) status, 1841; O.Fr. 

degre. 
deliuerly, quickly, B 4606. 
delue, to dig, 536 ; O.E. delfan. 
delit, delight, pleasure, 335, 1679; 

O.Fr. delit. 
delyuere, quick, active, 84; O.Fr. 

delivre. 
deme, deem, 1881; O.E. deman. 
departe, to separate, 11 34; O.Fr. 

departir. 
departynge, separation, 2774. 
depeynted (p.p. of depeynte), 

depicted, 2031 ; the other form 

of the p.p. depeynt (cf. O.Fr. 

depeynf) may have been used in 

2049; O.Fr. depeindre. 
d^re, to injure, 1822; O.E. derian. 
derk, dark, 1995; O.E. deorc. 
derr (comp. of d^re, cf. § 125), 

dearer, 1448; O.E. deorra. 
desdeyn, to take in, despise, 

frown upon, 789; O.Fr. dis- 

deigne. 
despitous, haughty, merciless, 

516, 1596. 
despit, spite, malicious contempt, 

941 ; O.Fr. despit. 
destreyne, to constrain, distress, 

1455; O.Fr, destraindre. 



192 



GLOSSARY 



dette, debt, 280; O.Fr. dette. (The 
" b " in the N.E. word is due to 
Latin spelling.) 

deuoir, duty, 2598; O.Fr. devier, 
Par.Fr. devoir. 

deuys, plan, decision, 816; O.Fr. 
devis. 

deuyse, to describe or relate in 
detail, 34, 994, 1048, 1914; O.Fr. 
deviser. 

deuisynge, preparation, 2496. 

deyntee, adj., valuable, 168 ; sb. 
delicacy, B 4025; O.Fr. deinte. 

deys, the raised platform at the 
end of a hall, a table, 370, 2200; 
O.Fr. deis. 

diffye, defy, B 4361. 

digestynes, aids to digestion, 
B4151. 

dighte, dress, 1041; O.E. dihtan. 

digne, worthy, 141 ; haughty, 517; 
O.Fr. digne. 

discheuelee, dishevelled, 683; 
O.Fr. deschevele. 

disconfitynge, disconfiture, de- 
feat, 1008, 2719; O.Fr. discon- 
fiture. 

disherited, disinherited, 2926; 
O.Fr. desheriter. 

disioynt, a difficulty, 2962; O.Fr. 
disjointe. 

dispence, expense, expenditure, 
441, 1882; O.Fr. despense. 

dispitously, angrily, cruelly, 
1 1 24. 

disposicioun, position of planet- 
ary bodies in the heavens (as- 
trology), 1087; O.Fr. disposicion. 

disputisoun, disputation, B 4428. 



diuynynge, the forecast of an 

issue, 2521; O.Fr. v. deviner. 
diuinistre, diviner, prophet, 281 1. 
diuisioun, distinction ; kan no d., 

recognizes no distinction, 1780; 

O.Fr. division. 
doghtren, B 4019, cf. § 106. 
doke, duck, 4580; O.E. duce. 
dokke, to cut short, dock (cf. 

O.N. dokr, a stumpy tail), 590. 
dom, decision, opinion, 323; O.E. 

dom. 
dominacioun, power, control, 

275S; F. domination. 
don, doon, doo,, to do, cause, 

make; don with inf. make, 

areste, etc., cause to be, have 

made, arrested, etc., 1905, B 

4210; also with p.p. don 

wroght, have made, 19 1 3; 

O.E. don. See § 187. 
dong, dung, 530; O.E. dung. 
dgre, a door, 550; O.E. n. pi. 

doru. 
dorste, see dar, § 186, 5. 
doiimb, dumb, 774; O.E. dumb. 
doTite, doubt, fear, 487, 1 141 ; 

O.Fr. doute. (The " b " in N.E. 

is due to influence of Latin 

spelling.) 
ddwue, dove, 1962; O.N. dftfa. 
drawe, to draw, or to carry, 2547; 

O.E. dragan. 
drecche, to trouble (by dreams), 

B 4077; O.E. dreccan. 
dr^de, fear, 1776. 
dr^de, to fear, dread, 660 ; O.E. 

(on) dree dan. 
dr^deful, full of fear, timid, 1479. 



GLOSSARY 



193 



dr^m, a dream, B 41 19; O.E. 

dream. 
drenche, to drown, p.p. dreyiit, 

B 4272; cf. § 175(6); O.E. 

drencan. 
drenchyng, drowning, 2456. 
dresse, to set in order, 106, 2594; 

O.Fr. dresser. 
dreye, drye, dry, 3024 ; O.E. 

*drege ; cf. § 69(e). 
drogges, drugs, 426 ; O.Fr. drogue. 
droghte (o = oil), drought, 2 ; 

O.E. drugap (fern.); Orm., 

druhhpe. 
dronken, p.p. of drinke, 135 ; 

cf. O.E. drincan. 
dronke, pret. pi. of drinke. 
drQpe, a drop, 131; O.E. dropa. 
droupe, to droop, 107 ; O.N. 

drilpa ; see note. 
drugge, to drudge, 1416. 
drye, dry; O.E. dryge. 
dyapred, ornamented with small 

patterns, 2158; O.Fr. diaprer. 
dyched, moated, 1888; cf. O.E. 

«*fci § 79(c). 
dyen, to die, 1109; 1.0. E. degan 
(Napier, Holy Rood, p. 38) ; cf. 

§ 69(c). 

dyke, to make ditches, 536 ; cf. 

O.E. dician. 
dys, dice, 1238. 

E 

ecclesiaste, one who performs 
public functions in church, 708. 

<*ch, each, 39; O.E.te/c; cf. § 79(c). 

<£chQn, echoon, each one, 820 ; 
O.E. celc, tin. 
O 



eek, eke, also, too, 5,41; O.E. eac. 

eet, see § 161. 

effect, fact, substance ; in effect, 
practically, 319. 

eft, again, 1669 ; O.E. eft. 

elde, old age, 2447, 2448 ; O.E. 
eldo. 

elles, else, 375; O.E. elles. 

embrolided, covered with em- 
broidery, 89 ; cf. O.Fr. enbroder. 

emforth, to the extent of, 2235 ; 
O.E. eft' 71, fort). 

empoysonyng, poisoning, 2460 ; 
O.Fr. empoisotier. 

emprise, an undertaking, 2540 ; 
O.Fr. ei?iprise. 

encens, incense, 2429; O.Fr. en- 
cens. 

encombred, embarrassed, ham- 
pered, 1 718 ; entangled, in- 
volved, 508 ; O.Fr. encombre. 

enerees, sb., increase, 2184; O. 
Fr. v. encreistre. 

endelong, lengthways, 1991; cf. 
O.E. and la 7 ig. 

endite, relate, 1380 ; compose, 
95, B 4397; O.Fr. e7iditer. 

engendren, cause, 4 ; O.Fr. en- 
gendrer. 

eugyne, torture, put on the rack 
to extort testimony, B 4250. 

enhauncen, to enhance, to raise, 
1434; O.Fr. e7iha7iser. 

enhorte, to encourage, 285 1; O. 
Fr. e7iorter. 

enoynt, anointed, 2961 ; O.Fr. 
e;wi7il. 

ensample, example, 496; O.Fr. 
e7isai7iple. 



194 



GLOSSARY 



entente, intent, purpose, iooo; O. 
Fr. entente. 

entnne, intone, 123; see note. 

enuyned, having store of wine, 
342; cf. O.Fr. enviner. 

erced^kene, archdeacon, 658; O. 
E. earcediacon. 

^re, to plough, 886; O.E. erian. 

esehaunge, exchange, 278; O.Fr. 
es change. 

eschue, eschew, shun, 3043; O. 
Fr. es chive r. 

<*se, don, to provide entertain- 
ment for, 768; O.Fr. aaisie. 

<*se, entertain; cf. N.E. ease- 
ment = entertainment. 

<gsily, easily. 

espye, to discover, 11 12, 1420; 
O.Fr. e spier. 

<*st, east, 2601 ; O.E. east. 

estat, condition, 203, 522; O.Fr. 
estat. 

estatly, -lien, stately, in a digni- 
fied way, 140, 281. 

estres, the inner parts of a build- 
ing, 1971; O.Fr. estre. 

§sy, moderate, 441 ; O.Fr. aisie. 

eterne, eternal, 1109, 1990; O.Fr. 
eterne. 

^ueryeh, every, 241 ; every one, 
371, 2127; O.E. iefre-ylc. 

^uerich a, every single, 733 ; cf. 

§H7- 
('iierychqn, every one, 31, 747; 

O.E. cefre-yle, an. 
<*uermoore, always, 67. 
ew, yew-tree, 2923; O.E. eow. 
expowne, to expound, B 4305. 
ey. an egg, B 4035; O.E. Sg. 



eye, eye; see ye. 

eyle, to ail, 1081; O.E. eglan. 

F 

faeultee, profession, 244; O.Fr. 

faculte. 
fader, father, 100; gen. sing. 

fader, 781; O.E. feeder ; see 

§ 97 (b). 
fadme, fathom; plural fadme, 

2916; O.E. fcE^m (fem.) ; see 

§ 100. 
fair, adj., beautiful, fair, good; 

O.E. fceger. 
faire, adv., gracefully, well, 

neatly. 
fairnesse, beauty, 1098; beauty 

of character, 519. 
faldyng, a coarse, rough kind of 

cloth, 391. 
falle, befall, 585; O.E. befeallan ; 

see § 163. 
falwe, pale, 1364; O.E. fealo 

(case-stem fea/zv-) . 
famulier, on good terms with 

(like one of the household), 

215; O.Yx. famulier. 
fare, goings on, ado, 1809; O.E. 

faru. 
fare, to go, proceed, 1395; live, 

1265; O.E. fa ran; cf. § 162. 
farse, to line, staff, 233 ; O.Fr. 

farcir. 
faste, near, close, 1476, 16S8; 

O.E. f teste. 
fa light, pt.sg. of fighte, see § 158. 
fayn, gladly; fain wolde I, I 

should like to, 766 ; O.E. 
frgen. 



GLOSSARY 



195 



fedde, pret. of f ede, 146; §§ 172, 

55- 
feeld, a field, 886 ; O.E. feld. 
felaweshipe, company, 32 ; O.N. 

fetagi, O.E. scipe. 
feld, p.p. of felle, to cut down, 

2924 ; O.E. fellan. 
Femenye, the land of the Ama- 
zons, 866 ; O.Fr. Femenie (see 

Godefroy). 
fer, adj. and adv., far, 388, 1850 ; 

O.E. feorr ; see § 125. 
fer ne neer, a phrase used with 

numbers, 'exactly,' 1850; cf. 

Rom. of the Rose, 1098. 
ferde (really pt. of fere, but given 

to fare), behaved, acted, 1372, 

1647 ; see § 162, note 6. 
ferforthly, 960, see note. 
fermacie, medicinal prescription 

(originally purgative), 2713 ; cf. 

O.Fr. farmacie. 
ferae, distant, 14; O.E. feorr ane 

(see Anglia, I. 476). 
ferre, see fer ; O.E. fierra. 
ferreste, see fer. 
ferther, further, 36 ; O.E. fur- 

fira, contaminated with ferre. 
ferthyng, fourth part, a small 

portion (cf. N.E.fart/iing), 134, 

255; O.E. feorfii?ig. 
f^ste, a feast, festival, ^t, ; O.Fr. 

feste. 
f^ste, to make a feast, 2193 ; O.Fr. 

festier. 
fet, p.p. of fette, to bring, 819, 

2527; O.E. fetian. 
f^tys, shapely, 157; O.Fr. faitis. 
f^tisly, nicely, 124; cf. N.E.feattjy. 



fey, faith, 11 26, a later form of 

feith ; O.Fr. fat. 
feyne, to invent, to counterfeit, 

7°5» 73^ > O.Fr. feindre. 
fil, pt. of falle, 131 ; O.E. feallan ; 

see § 163. 
firre. fir tree, 2921 ; O.E. * fyre. 
fithele, fiddle, 296; O^.jtila. 
flatour, flatterer, B 4515; O.Fr. 

Jiateor. 
flaugh, B4421, pret. of flen; see 

§ 155- 

Flaundryssh, Flemish, 272. 
flen, to flee from, 11 70; to fly, B 

4132; O.E.fieon; cf. § 155, note 3. 
fleete, to flow, swim, 2397; O.E. 

fieotan. 
flesh, meat, 147; O.E. flasc. 
flex, flax, 676; O.E. fieax. 
fley, fleigh, pret. of flen, flye, 

B 4362 var.; see § 155. 
flotery, wavy, flowing, 2883 ; cf. 

Q.E.flotorian. 
flour de lys, a lily, 238. 
floytynge, playing on a flute, 91 ; 

other forms in M.E. are flowte, 

finite; cf. N.E.D. 'flute.' 
fly, pret. of flen, flye; see § 155. 
flye, to fly, flee; O.E. fleogan; see 

§ 155. 
folwe, to follow, 2367; O.E. fol- 

gian. 
foond, pret. of finde, B 4019. 
foo, fQ, foe, enemy, 63; O.E. fa 

(pi. of adj._/rtA). 
foom, foam, 1659; O.E. fdm. 
foot mantel, 472 ; see note. 
for, because, 443, against, B 4307, 

as, 413 ; for any thing, in spite 



196 



GLOSSARY 



of everything, at all hazards, 
276; O.K. /or. 

for-, as a prefix to an adj. intensi- 
fies the notion expressed by it; 
e.g. for-blaek, 2144; for-old, 
2142. 

fordo, to destroy, 1560; O.E. for- 
do n. 

forf^red, badly frightened, B 45 76, 
(see var. readings). 

forn-cast, foreordained, B 4407. 

forneys, furnace, 202; O.E. for- 
naise. 

for-pynecl, wasted away by tor- 
ment, 205 ; O.E. for-, phiian. 

fors, dp n<? fors of, pay no atten- 
tion to, B 41 31 ; O.Fr. force. 

forslewthen, to lose through de- 
lay, B 4286. 

forster, an officer who has charge 
of a forest, 117 (probably here 
= huntsman); O.F '. forestier. 

forthren, to further, to aid, 1148; 
O.E. fyrpran (?) contaminated 
with for th. 

forthy, therefore, 1841; py is the 
instrumental case of the O.E. 
definite article. 

fortiinen, to forecast favorably, 
417, 2377; O.Fr. fortuner. 

forward, covenant, agreement, 
829; O.E. fonveard. 

forwite, to know beforehand, 
B 4424. 

forwityng, foreknowledge, pre- 
science, B 4433. 

forwoot, pret. of forwitan. 

fory^te, forget, 1882; O.E. for- 
ge tan. 



fory^ue, to forgive, 743, 18 18; 

O.E. forgefan. 
fother, a cart-load, 1908; O.E. 

fother. 
foughte, pret. pi. of fighte; 1. 

O.E. fihtan. 
foundre (of a horse), to stumble, 

2687; O.Fr. funder. 
fowl, fowel, bird, 9, 190, 2437; 

O.E. fugol. 
foyne, thrust, 1654, 25 50; cf. O.Fr. 

foine. 
frakenes, freckles, 2169. 
frankeleyn, a substantial farmer, 

squire, 216. 
fraternitee, a guild of craftsmen, 

364- 

fredom, generosity, nobility, 46; 
O.E. freoddm. 

freend, a friend, 1468, relative, 
992; O.E. freond. 

freendlich, freendly, friendly, 
1652, 2680; O.E. freondllc ; see 
§121. 

frere, friar, 208; O.Fr. frere. 

fr^te, to eat (p.p. freteii), 2019; 
O.E. fr eta n. 

fi'Qt from; O.^S.frd. 

ful, adv., very. 

fulfille, fill full, 940; O.E. ful- 
fyllan. 

fume, B 41 14; see note. 

fustian, a kind of coarse cloth 
made of cotton and flax, 75; cf. 
O.Fr. fustiane. 

fyle, to file, polish, 2152. 

fynde, to invent, 736, to pro- 
vide for, B 4019; O.E. fin- 
dan. 



GLOSSARY 



197 



Fynystere, Cape Finisterre in 
Spain, 408. 

G 

gabbe, to mock, jest, B 4256; 

O.N. gabba. 
gadre, to gather; O.E. gcedrian. 
gaitrys, a kind of dogwood; see 

gaiter, N.E.D. 
Galgopheye, Gargaphia, 2626. 
Galice, Gallicia, in Spain, 466. 
Galyen, Galen, 431. 
galyngale, a sort of spice, 381 ; 

O.Fr. galingal. 
game, fun, sport, joke, 1806; O.E. 

gam en. 
game, to please (impersonal) ; 

him gamed, it pleased him; 

O.E. gamian. 
gan, pret. of ginnen, often used 

as an auxiliary verb with scarcely 

translatable force; gan praye, 

would pray, 301 ; gan espye, 

noticed, 11 12. 
gape, to yawn, 2008; O.E. gea- 

pian. 
gap, an opening in a thicket or 

hedge, 1639. 
gargat, throat, gullet, B 4525; 

O.Fr. garga/e. 
garleek, garlic, 634; O.E. gar/eac. 
gastly, horrible, 1984; O.E.gastlic, 

§55. (The "h" in the N.E. word 

is due to Latin spelling.) 
gat, see g^te. 
gat tothed, having the teeth wide 

apart, 468; see note. 
Gatesden, John Gatisden of Ox- 
ford (fourteenth century), 434. 



gauded, fitted with * gaudies ' 
(beads in the rosary, marking 
the five joys of the Virgin), 159; 
O.Fr. gaude. 

gaude grene, a light green color, 
2079. 

Gaufred, Geoffry de Vinsauf, 
an Anglo-Norman poet, B4537. 

Gaunt, Ghent in Flanders, cele- 
brated for cloth-making, 448. 

gay, gaudily dressed, 74; O.Fr. 
gai. 

gayler, jailer, 1064; O.Fr. gaiolier. 

gayne, to profit (used imper- 
sonally), 1 1 76, 2755 ; O.N. 
gegna. 

geere, gear, utensils, 352; ar- 
mor and weapons, 1016; go- 
ings on, 1372, 1531 ; cf. O.E. 
gearive. 

geery, changeable, 1536; see 
N.E.D. s.v. 

geldyng, gelding, used oppro- 
briously, 541 ; O.N. geldi?igr. 

gentil, noble, 72 ; O.Fr. geiitil. 

gereful, changeable, 1538. 

gerland, garland ; O.Fr. gerlande. 

Gernade, Granada, 56. 

gerner, garner ; O.Fr. gerner. 

gesse, suppose, think, guess, 82, 
118; cf. M.L.G. gissen. 

g^te, to get, obtain, 291 ; see 
§ 161, note 1. 

gigge, to fit the arm-straps or 
guiges of a shield; cf. N.E.D., 
2504 ; O.Fr. guige. 

Gilbertyn, Gilbertus Anglicus, 

434- 
giltelees, guiltless, 1312. 



198 



GLOSSARY 



gipser, a purse or wallet, 357 ; 

O.Fr. gibeciere. 
girde, to gird, 329 ; O.E. gyr dan. 
girles, young people of either sex, 

664. 
girt, p.p. of gird, 
gise, disposition, manner ; at his 

owene gise, according to meth- 
ods of his own, 663. 
gladere, gladdener, 2223. 
glarynge, staring, 684 ; M.L.G. 

glaren. 
gleede, live coal, 1997; O.E. gled 

(fern.). 
gQ, ggn, to go, walk, 171, 450; 

O.E. gdn; see § 187. 
gobet, fragment, 696 ; O.Ex. gobet. 
Godh^de, godhead, divinity, 2381. 
goliardeys, a buffoon, 560 ; O.Fr. 

goliardois. 
gonne (o = u), pret. pi. of ginne. 
good, property, 581 ; O.E. god. 
goodenian, host of an inn, 850. 
goodly, adj., courteous, obliging, 

B 4010 ; adv., courteously, 803. 
goolde, marigold, 1929. 
good-wyf, a respectable woman, 

445- 

goost, spirit, 205 ; O.E. gist. 

Gootlond, Gottland, an island in 
the Baltic Sea, 408. 

gouernaunce, management, self- 
control, demeanor, 281 ; con- 
trol, 1313, B4055. 

gowne, gown, 93; O.Fr. goune. 

grace, favor, 1245; O. Ex. grace. 

graunt, grant, permission, 1306. 

graunt-nierey, gramercy, thanks, 
B 4160; O.Fr. grant merci. 



gr^ce, grease ; O.Fr. gresse. 

gree, superiority, 2733 ; O.Ex. gre. 

grene, green cloth, i.e. Lincoln 
green, 103 ; green stone, emer- 
ald, 159. 

Gr<*te See, the Middle English 
name for the part of the Medi- 
terranean Sea which washes the 
Holy Land, 59. 

greue, a grove, 1495 ; greues, 
green branches, 1507. 

grisly, horrible, 1363; O.E. gris- 
lic. 

grqnen, to groan, snore, B 4076, 
B 4080 ; gronyng, groaning; 
O.E. gr a nia it. 

grQpe, test, 644 ; O.E. gr apian. 

ground, the part of lace on which 
the pattern is worked, 453. 

groynynge, grumbling, discon- 
tent, 2460; cf. O.Fr grogner. . 

grueclie, to murmur, grumble, 
3045 ; O.Fr. grouchier. 

gruf, flat on the face, 949 ; cp. 
O.N. a grufu. 

grys, gray fur, 194; O.Fr. gris. 

gye, to guide, 1950; O.Fr. gvier. 

gyle, deceit ; O.Fr. gvile. 

gynglen, to jingle, 170. 

gypon, gypoun, a short coat worn 
under the hauberk, 75, 2 1 20. 

H 

haberdassher, a seller or maker 
of hats, 361. 

habergeoun, a coat of mail, 76, 
21 19; O.Fr. habergeon (ge is 
merely the indication of i soft ' 

s)- 



GLOSSARY 



199 



hade, pret of haue; see § 84 (b). 
haf, pret. of h«*ue; see § 162. 
halwe, saint, 14; O.E. halga ; see 

§ 80(d). 
Haly, an Arabian physician of the 

eleventh century, 431. 
hamer, hammer; O.E. hamor. 
han, contracted 3d pi. and infin. 

of hauen. 
hardy, bold, 882 ; O.F. hardi. 
hardily, surely, I am sure, 156. 
harlot, rascal, 647; O.Fr. harlot. 
harlotries, ribald stories or ac- 
tions, 561. 
harneys, harness, armor, 2696; 

O.Fr. harneis. 
harre, hinge, 550; O.E. hearre. 
harrow, a cry for help, B 4235; 

O.Fr. haroit. 
harye, drag, 2726; O.Fr. harier. 
hauberk, a coat of mail, 2431; 

O.Fr. haiiberc. 
haue, to have; O.E. habban; see 

§174. 
haunt, practice, skill, 447; O.Fr. 

hajtt. 
heed, head; O.E. heafod; see 

§ 84(b). 
heeld, pret. of holde; O.E. 

healdan. 
heelp, pret. of helpe, to help ; 

O.E. helpan; see § 158. 
heep, heap, number, 575; O.E. 

heap. 
her, hair; O.E. kar. 
heere, her«; O.E, her, § 120. 
heere, to hear, 169; O.E. her an. 
heete, to promise, 2398; O.E. 

hdtan ; see § 164, note 1. 



hetfi, heath; O.E. halt. 
heigh, high, hy, deep, 1065; ex- 
treme, 1798; O.E. heah,heh; cf. 

§ 72 (c). 
h^le, health, 1271; O.E. hcelu. 
hele, to cover, hide, B 4245; O.E. 

he Ian. 
heug, pret. of honge ; see § 163. 
henne, hence, 2356; O.E. heonane. 
hente, seize, catch, 299, 904; O.E. 

hentan, pt. hente; cf. § 175 (2). 
heraud, herald, 1017; O.Fr. 

her ant. 
herbergage, lodging, B 4179; 

O.Fr. herbergage. 
herberwe, harbor, 403, inn, 765; 

O.N. herbergi. 
herbe yue, ?herbyue, ground- 
pine, B 4156; see N.E.D., s.v. 
herd, haired, 2518; O.E. har -f 

ed. 
hierde, a shepherd, 603; O.E. 

heorde. 
Hereos, Eros, god of love, 1374. 
herkne, hearken, listen, 1526; 

O.E. heorcnian. 
hert, a hart, 1689; O.E. heort. 
herte, heart, 150; O.E. heorte. 
herte-spoon, the depression at 

the end of the breast-bone, 2606; 

O.E. heorte, spon. 
heste, command; O.E. has (fern.), 

with inorganic / and consequent 

shortening, 
h^then, heathen; O.E. ha 8 en. 
h^thenesse, heathendom, 49 ; 

O.E. hcefiennes (fern.). 
h^ue, to heave, lift, 550 ; O.E. 

hebban, see § 162, note 5. 



200 



GLOSSARY 



h^uenly, heavenly ; O.E. heo- 

fonlic. 
h<*uynesse, sorrow, sadness, B 

3959; O.E. hefignes (fern.). 
hewe, complexion, hue, 394; O.E. 

heow. 
hewe, to hew, to cut, 1422 ; O.E. 

heawian. 
hitler, hither, 672 ; O.E. hider. 
hidolis, hideous, 1978; O.Fr. 

hideus. 
highte, promise, be called, 1557; 

highte, was called, 616, 2472; 

O.E. ha tan ; see p. lxii, note 1. 
highte, height ; on highte, 

aloud, 1784; O.E. hlehpo. 
hindreste, hindmost ; O.N. hin- 

dre. 
hipe, hip, 472 ; O. E. hype. 
hir, her ; O.E. hire, 
hir, their, of them, 1 178 ; O.E. 

hie?' a. 
hit, it; O.E. hit. 
h^lde, to hold, esteem, 1307; O.E. 

heal dan. 
holpen, p.p. of helpe. 
holt, grove, 6 ; O.E. holt. 
hoi we, hollow, 1363 ; O.E. sb. holh 

with case stem *holg-. 
hond, hand ; O.E. hand. 
honeste, seemly, becoming, 246 ; 

O.Fr. hojieste. 
honge, to hang, 2410; O.E. han~ 

gian; see § 163. 
hoo, the heralds' call to put an 

end to battle, 1706; O.N. ho. 
hool, whole, 3006; O.E. hal 

(for N.E. inorganic w see § 36). 
hoold, custody, B 4064. 



hoomly, plainly, simply, 328 ; cf. 

O.E. ham. 
hoppestere ; O.E. hoppestre ; see 

note to 2017. 
hostiler, innkeeper, landlord, 

241 ; O.Fr. hostelier. 
h^te, hotly ; cf. O.E. hat. 
hound, dog, 947 ; O.E. hund. 
howpe, whoop, B 4590 ; O.Fr. 

houper. 
housbondrie, economy, B4018; 

cf. O.E. husbonda. 
humblesse, humility, 1781 ; O.Fr. 

humblesse. 
hunte, huntsman, 1678 ; O.E. 

hunta. 
hurtle, to hurl, 2616; cf. O.Fr. 

htirter. 
hust, hushed, 2981 ; p.p. of hus- 

ehen. 
hy, high ; heigh weye, highway, 

897 ; hyer hond, upper hand, 

399; O.E. heah, heh, see § 72 

(c). 
hye, adv., upright, 271, 2075. 
hye, to hasten, hie, 2274; O.E. 

hlgian. 
hye, haste, 2979. 
hyne, servant, 603; 1.0. E. hine 

(pi). 

I ( Vowel; see § 6) 

ilke, same, 175; O.E. ilea. 

in, inn, B 4216; oblique case 

inne (or perhaps due to O.N. 

i?z?ii), 2436. 
inequal, hoiires inequales 

(§ 116), an astronomical term to 

denote the hours of planets, as dis- 



GLOSSARY 



201 



tinguished from the hours of the 

clock, 2271 ; see Astrolabe, 194. 
infect, invalidated, 320. 
iirne, to lodge, 2192; O.E. in- 

nian. 
inne, adv., in, within, 1618; O.E. 

in tie. 
inspire, quicken, breathe life into, 

6 ; cf. Lat. inspirare. 
lye, see ye. 

I (Consonant ; see § 8) 
lade, a jade, a wretched horse, 

B 4002. 
IaloTTs, jealous, 1329; O.Fr. 

jalons. 
Ianglere, a prater, babbler, 560 ; 

cf. O.Yt.j angler. 
lape, trick, jest, 705; O.Fr. jape. 
lape, to fool, make sport of, 1729. 
Ieet, jet, B 4051 ; O.Fx.jaiet. 
let, fashion, 682 ; O.Fr. get 
Iolitee, gayety, pleasure, 1807; 

O.Fr. jolivete. 
Iolyf, pleasant, B 4624. 
lournee, day's journey, 2738 ; 

O.Fr. jor7iee. 
liigement, judgment ; O.Fr. juge- 

ment. 
Iuste, to joust, tilt, 96, 2486 ; O.Fr. 

j ouster. 
Iuste, a tournament, 2720; O.Fr. 

jouste. 
Iustise, justice; O.Fr. justice. 
Iuwise, judgment, 1739; O.Fr. 

juise. 

K 

kan as auxiliary has in M.E. the 
senses of N.E. 'can'; as indepen- 



dent verb it means 'know,' 210, 
1 780; kan thank, recognizes 
the obligation, is grateful, 1808. 

keep, care, heed; cf. O.E. cepa?i. 

kembd, combed, kempt, tidy, 
2143 ; O.E. cemban. 

kempe, (?) shaggy, bristly, 2134. 

kene, sharp, 104; O.E. c'ene. 

kepere, head of a * celled 172. 

kinr^de, kindred; O.E. cynrizden. 

knar re, a thick-set fellow, 549. 

knarry, gnarled, knotty, 1977. 

knaue, a boy, a servant, 2/20; 
O.E. oiafa. 

knobbe, swelling, wen, 633. 

knyghthede, knighthood, 2789; 
cf. O.E. cniht. 

kowthe, well-known, famous, 14. 

kyn, pi. of cow; see § 106. 

kynd, nature, 2451, B 4386. 

L. 

la as, cord, 392; pi. laas, toils, 

181 7; O.Fr. las. 
lacerte, muscle, 2753; O.Fr. la- 

certe. 
ladde, pret. of l^de; O.E. laidde; 

see § 55, note 1. 
lafte, pret. of l^ue; O.E. Icefte : 

see § 55, note 1. 
langage, fair, pleasant talk, 211. 
large, adv., broadly, coarsely, 734; 

cf. O.Fr. large. 
lasse, less, 1756; O.E. lizssa ; see 

§55, note 1. 
lat, imperative of l<*te; cf. § 163, 

note I. 
late, lately; O.E. late. 
latoun, an alloy of copper and 



202 



GLOSSARY 



zinc, like brass in appearance, 

699; O.Fr. laton. 
launde, an open space in a wood, 

a glade, 1691 ; O.Fr. lande. 
laurer, laurel; O.Fr. latirier. 
laxatyf, a purging medicine, laxa- 
tive, B4133. 
layneres, the thongs that held 

together the parts of the armor, 

2504; O.Fr. lainier. 
lazar, a leper; but loosely used of 

any one with running sores, 242, 

245- 
l^checraft^ medical skill, 2745; 

O.E. IcEcecrceft. 

l^de, to lead; O.E. lizdan. 

leed, a stationary cauldron placed 
over a forneys, 202; O.E. lead. 

leef, dear, pleasing, used in im- 
personal constructions,- e.g. hym 
was l^uere (comp.), 'he would 
rather,' 293; be hym looth or 
lief, ' whether he likes it or not,' 
1837; O.E. leaf. 

lep, pret. of l^pe, to leap; O.E. 
hie ap an. 

leme, gleam, B 41 20; O.E. leoma. 

l^ne, to lend, give, 611, 3082; O.E. 
latian (Gmc. *lanjan). 

lenger, longer; see § 124. 

lengthe, length, height ; of euene 
lengthe, well-proportioned, S^; 
O.E. lengfi (fern.). 

leopart, lepart, a leopard, 2186; 
O.Fr. leopard. 

leoun, lion, 2186. 

l^re, to teach, learn; O.E. Iceran 
(Goth, laisjan). 

lerne, to learn; O.E. leornian. 



lese, to lose; O.E. leosan. 

l§st, least; O.E. liest. 

lest (Kent.), joy, 132; O.E. lyst. 

leste, pret. of leste, impers. verb; 
vs leste, we were fain, 750; 
O.E. lystan ; see liste. 

l^synge, lie, 1927; O.E. leasung. 

l^te, to leave, neglect to do, 1335; 
O.E. latan. 

lette, to hinder, stand in the way 
of, 889, 1892; pret. lette; O.E. 
let tan. 

Lettow, Lithuania, 54. 

letuarie, electuary (a medicine 
compounded of - powder mixed 
with some syrup), 426; O.Fr. 
lettuair. 

leue, to believe; O.E. lefan. 
i l<£ue, to leave; see lafte. 

lenere, see leef. 

l^wed, lay, unlearned; l^wed 
man, a layman, 574; O.E. 
Icewed. 

leye, to lay; O.E. lecgan ; see 
§ 173 (a), note I. 

leyser, leisure; O.Fr. leisir. 

licenciat, a monk or priest hav- 
ing special license by the Pope 
to hear confessions and admin- 
ister penance independently of 
the local ordinaries, 220. 

lieour, sap, 3; O.Fr. likeur. 

lief, see leef. 

lien, to lie, to stay at an inn, 20; 
O.E. licgan; § 161, note 3. 

lifly, in a lifelike way, 2087; O.E. 
liflJce. 

ligge, 2205, B 4415; see lien and 
§ 161, note 3. 



GLOSSARY 



203 



ligne, lineage, 1551 ; O.Fr. ligne. 

like, to please, impers. verb; if 
yow liketh, if it please you, 
777; O.E. lician. 

lipse, lisp, 264; O.L.G. wlispen. 

list, 3d sing, of liste, leste, 583; 
see § 177. 

liste, to please (impers.), as hir 
liste, as it pleased her; O.E. 
lystan. 

litel, lite, § $3 (b), little, humble, 
poor, 490; O.E. lytel. 

lith, a limb or part of the body, 
B4065; O.E. lip. 

lith, 3d pres. sg. of lien. 

lQde, load; O.E. lad (fem.). 

lQclemenage, pilotage, 403; O.E. 
lad. * course '; O.Fr. menage. 

lQkyn, shut up (as in a chest), 
B 4065 (apparently a strong 
part, of a weak verb) ; O.E. 
locian. 

loodsterre, the pole star, 2059; 
O.E. lad, steorra. 

looke, see, look, consider, B 4318; 
O.E. locian. 

lend, land; of a lond, in the 
world, 194; in londe, in the 
country, away, B 4069 ; vpon 
lond, back in the country, 
702. 

longe, to belong; O.E. langian. 

longen, to desire, long for, 12; 
O.E. langian. 

looth, unpleasant, 486, 1837; O.E. 
lap. * 

lQrd, lord; lord and sire, presi- 
dent, chairman, 355 ; O.E. kid- 
ford. 



lQrdynges, a term of address 
corresponding to N.E. 'gentle- 
men,' 761. 

lQre, learning; O.E. lar (fem.). 

los, loss; O.E. los. 

losengeour, a flatterer, B 4516; 
O.Fr. losengeur. 

loiide, loudly; O.E. hlude. 

loueday, a day appointed for the 
settlement of disputes, 258. 

louyere, a lover, 80; cf. O.E. lufu 
(an instance of the continental 
Fr. suffix -ier added to an Eng- 
lish word ; so tiliere, Boece, 

1638). 

lowe, humbly, 1405. 

lowely, modest, 99; O.N. lagliga. 

Loy, St. Eligius, 120. 

luce, carp, 350; O.Fr. luz; Lat. 

I nee us. 
lust (S.W. vowel), pleasure, 192; 

O.E. lyst. 
lustily, gayly, 1529. 
lusty, gay, 80. 
liistynesse, pleasure, 1939. 
lychwake (?), lychewake, a 

wake, 2958; O.E. lu, 'body,' 

waeu, * watching.' 
Lyeys, Ayas, in Asiatic Turkey 

(taken by Pierre de Lusignan in 

1367), 58- 

Jjygurge, Lycurgus, 2129. 
lyk, like; O.E. gellc. 
lym, limb; O.E. Urn. 
lymytour, a friar licensed to beg 

within a certain limit, 209; 

cf. Lat. limes. 
lynage, lineage, mo; O.Fr. 

linage. 



204 



GLOSSARY 



lynde, linden or lime tree, 2922; 

O.E. Unci (fem.). 
lystes, lists (sing.), 1713; O.Fr. 

listes. 
ly targe, white lead, 629; O.Fr. 

litharge. 
lyues, living, 2395; cf. § 191. 

M 

maad, p.p. of make; see § 79 (d). 
maat, sorrowful, 955; O.Fr. mat. 
maist, mayest, § 185, I; mais- 

tow, § 129. 
maister, a master, employer ; 

maister - streete, the high 

street, 2902; O.Fr. maist7'e. 
maistrye, for the maistrye, 

preeminently; 165^ = Fr. pour 

le maistrie. 
make, companion, 2556; O.E. 

gemaca, O.N. maki. 
make, make, compose, 95; O.E. 

macian. 
male, wallet, 694; O.Fr. male. 
malencolye, melancholy ; cf. 

O.Fr. melancolie. 
Malkyn,»name of a servant girl, 

B4574. 
Malle, name of a sheep, B 4021. 
manace, threat; O.Fr. manace. 
manasynge, threatening, warn- 
ing, 2035. 
maner, no maner wight, no sort 

of person, nobody, 71; euery 

maner wight, everybody, 1875. 
manly, handsome, 167. 
mantelet, a short mantle, 2163. 
manye, mania, madness, 1374; 

O.Fr. manie. 



many oon, many a one; O.E. 
ma nig, an. 

marchant, merchant; O.Fr. mar- 
chand. 

mare, mare, applied indiscrim- 
inately in M.E. to any under- 
sized, ill-conditioned horse; used 
opprobriously in 691, perhaps 
with pun on mare, incubus ,* 
O.E. mearh, pi. mearas. 

martire, to torment, 1562; cf. 
O.E. martyr. 

mary-bQnes, marrow-bones, 380; 
O.E. mearh, ban. 

matere, matter; O.Fr. mater e. 

matrimoigne, matrimony, 3095; 
O.Fr. matrimoine. 

maugree, in spite of, 1169, 2618; 
O.Fr. ?naugre. 

maunciple, a purchasing officer, 
544; cf. O.Fr. mancipe. 

3Iaure, St. Maur, a disciple of 
St. Benedict, 173. 

maze, a confused fancy, B 

4283. 

meede, reward, 770; O.E. med 
(fern.). 

meede, a mead, meadow; O.E. 
meed (fem.). 

meeth, mead, 2279; O.N. mto&r. 

medlee, variegated, parti-colored, 
328; O.Fr. medlee. 

Meleagre, Meleager, 2071. 

memorie, in memorie, con- 
scious, 2698 ; O.Fr. 77iemorie. 

meneioun, mention, O.Fr. men- 
tion. 

m<*ne, to mean, intend; O.E. 



GLOSSARY 



205 



menge, to mingle, p. p. ymeind, 

2170; O.E. mengan. 
mercenarie, hireling, 514. 
31ereenrike, kingdom of Mercia, 

B 4302. 
m^re, a mare, 541 ; O.E. mere. 
mery, fruit, pulp, B 4156, see 

note. 
nierye, myrie, miirie (murierly, 

7 1 4), pleasant; O.E. myrige,% 63. 
meschaunce, misfortune, 2009; 

O.Fr. 7nescheance. 
ineschief, misfortune, 493, 1326; 

at meschief, unfortunate, 255 1 ; 

O.Fr. meschief. 
messager, a messenger; O.Fr. 

message?'. 
mesurable, moderate ; O. Fr. 

mestirable. 
m^te, food; O.E. mete. 
mete, pret. mette, p. p. met, to 

dream (impersonal in M.E.), 

B 4192, B 4116. 
mewe, a coop, 349; O.Fr. mue. 
meynee, household, 1258; follow- 
ers, B 4584; O.Fr. maisnee. 
minister, an officer of justice ; 

petty magistrate. 
mQ, more; see § 125, note I; 

0. E. ma. 
moche,mochel(o = u); muehel, 

much, 132, 2850; O.E. my eel. 
moder, mother; O.E. modor. 
moeuere, mover; O.Fr. moveor. 
m^ne, complaint, 1366; cf. O.E. 

nice nan. 
mood, temper, anger, 1760; O.E. 

mod. 
moore, more, 1756 ; O.E. mdra. 



moornyng, mourning, 3706 ; cf. 

O. E. murnan. 
moot, may, must, ought, be obliged 

to, cf. § 185, 8; O.E. mot 
mordre, murder; O.E. morfior. 
mormal, a running sore, 386 ; 

O.Fr. mal mort (Lat. malu??i 

v 1 or tun m) . 
morne, adj. y morning, 358; O.E. 

mome. 
mortreux, a kind of stew, 384; 

O.Fr. mortreux. 
morwe, morweninge, morning, 

dawn, morrow, 780, 1062; by 

the morwe, in the morning, 

334; O.E. morgen. 
mosel, muzzle, 215 1 ; O.Fr. 

musel. 
mottelee, parti-colored dress, 271 ; 

cf. O.Fr. mattele. 
mountance, value, 15 70; O.Fr. 

mo?itance. 
moiis, mouse; O.E. mus. 
raowe, pi. of may, 2999. 
muchel(muche, meche, miehe, 

in variant readings), much; O.E. 

mycel. 
miirye, see merye. 
mynde, remembrance, 1402, 1906; 

O.E. (ge) mynd. 
mynoTir, a miner, 2465; O.Fr. 

mineur. 
inysbQden (p.p. of mysbede), 

to insult, injure, 909 ; O. E. 

misbeodan. 
myscarie, to come to harm, 513. 
myshappe (impers.), me mys- 

happeth, I am unfortunate, 

1646. 



206 



GLOSSARY 



myster, craft, trade, 613; sort of, 

1 710; O.Fr. 111 ester. 
myster, necessity, misfortune, 

1340; O.Fr. in ester. 

N 

naeioun, nation; O.Fr. nation. 
nakere, kettle-drum, 25 1 1 ; O.Fr. 

nacaire. 
nam = ne am; O.E. ne, eom, earn. 
namely, especially. 
naniQ, na mo, cf. O.E. 11a, ma. 
narette = ne arette. 
narwe, close, narrow, 625; O.E. 

nearu. 
nas = ne was, was not; O.E. ne, 

WCES. 

nat, not; O.E. ndwiht, naht. 

nath = ne hath. 

nathelees, nevertheless, 35; O.E. 

nd-pe-tds. 
nayl, claw, 2141; O.E. ncegl. 
ne, not, usually before the verb in 

a negative sentence, 70; ne, 

conj., nor, 526; ne . . . ne, 

neither . . . nor, 603. 
nedely, necessarily. 
nedes, necessarily, 2324; nedes 

cost, necessarily, 1477; cf. O.E. 

tiled. 
nedeth, must, 3028. 
neede, needful, 304. 
neer, adv., near, 1439; fer ne 

ner, see fer. 
neer, comp. of ny, neigh, 
neet, cattle; O.E. heat 
nekke, neck; O.E. hnecca. 
nercotike, opiate, 1472; O.Fr. 

narcotique. 



n^re = ne w<*re. 
newe, recently, 428; O.E. neowe. 
nexte, superl. of ny, nearest, 2365. 
noght (0 = 611), not; O.E. ndzviht, 

light, noht, § 73 (c). 
noolde = ne wolde. 
11911, noon, none, 449, 654; O.E. 

ne, an. 
n<mes, for the nones, for that 

very thing, 545; for that time 

only, for the occasion, 379; 

O.E. for pis m dues, /also for- 

pon dues. 
nonne, nun; O.E. nunne. 
noot = ne wgt; O.E. ne, wdt. 
norissing, nutriment, 437. 
Nortlifolk, Norfolk, 619. 
n^sethirles, nostrils; O.E. nos- 

fori. 
notabilitee, ' nota bene,' B 4399. 
not-heed, a crop head; O.E. 

hnot, heafod. 
iiQthyng, adv., not at all, 2505; 

O.E. ne, an, ping. 
nouthe, at present; O.E. nil, pa. 
ny, nygh, neigh, nigh; O.E. 

neh ; see § 72 (c). 
nyce, fastidious, particular, B 4505. 
nyghtertale, night time, 97; 

( ?) O.N. nahtarr (old gen. pi. 

of ndtt) influenced by O.E. niht 

+ (?) O.E. ta/11. 
nys = ne is. 

O 

q, ^n, one, same, 1012; euere in 
oon, continually, 1 771 ; after 
oon, according to the same 
standard, 1781, cf. 341; oon 



GLOSSARY 



207 



and oon, separately, one by 
one, 679; O.E. an. 

obeisaunce, obedience; cf. O.Fr. 
obeissant. 

obseruaunce, respect, worship, 
1500; O.Fr. observance. 

obstacle, check, 1787; O.Fr. 
obstacle. 

of, off, 2676; in respect to, 69, 
577; from, 285, 299, 131 7; aris- 
ing from, 420; by, 963; O.E. of. 

offende, to hurt, injure, attack, 
909; O.Fr. offendre. 

offehsioun, offence, hurt, damage, 
2416. 

offertorie, an offertory, the verses 
or anthem sung while the peo- 
ple make their offerings, 710. 

ofte sithes, oftentimes, 485 ; O.E. 
oftslpes. 

on, a, at; a paas, at a foot pace, 
2897, & 2 5 ; in, a goddes name, 
854; over, 594; on penalty of, 

I725- 
Oo, see hoo. 
oonly, only. 
opie, opium; O.Fr. opie. 
oratorie, a place for devotional 

exercise, 1905; O.Fr. oratoire. 
Orewelle, the river Orwell, 277. 
orisoiin, prayer, 2372; O.Fr. orei- 

sun. 
orlogge, a clock, B 4044. 
Qiier, adj., upper; O.E. ofer. 
Qiieral, everywhere; O.E. ofereall. 
Querthwart, athwart, across, 

I 99 I ; OSN./rvert. 
ounce, by ounces, in bunches, 

677; O.Fr. unce. 



out, away from home, 45; out 

of, beyond; O.E. fit. 
oiithees, hue and cry, 2012; O.E. 

tit, has. 
outlier, either, 1485; O.E. dhwce- 

per. 
out-ridere, the monastic officer 

who visited the outlying manors 

belonging to the house. 
owh^r, anywhere; O.E. dhwcer. 
oynement, ointment, 631; O.Fr. 

oignement. 
oynons, onions, 634 ; O.Fr. oignon. 



paas, pi. paas (see § 101), pace, 
2901; a pas, at a foot pace, 

825. 

pace, see passe. 

Palatye, Palathia in Anatolia, a 
Christian state vassal to the Turks 
in Chaucer's time, as appears from 
Froissart, V. iii. 23, 65. 

palfrey, palfrey, horse for travel- 
ling, 207; O.Fr. palefreid. 

pan, the skull, head: by my pan, 
on my life, 1 165 ; O.E. panne. 

paramentz, splendid robes, 2501 ; 
O.Fr. pavement. 

paramours, as a suitor, with 
true love, 21 12; cf. O.Fr. par 
amour. 

pardee, a common oath, 563; O. 
Fr. par dieu. 

parfit, perfect; O.Fr. parfez. 

parisshen, a parishioner; O.Fr. 
paroissien. 

parlement, decree, 1306; O.Fr. 
parlement. 



208 



GLOSSARY 



parte, of his, on his side, 2582; 
O.Fr. part. 

partrieh, a partridge; O.Fr. per- 
trisse. 

party, partly, 1053 ; partie, sb. a 
part, 3008; adj., partial, 2657; 
O.Fr. sb. partie. 

parvys, a church porch, especially 
the porch of St. Paul's in London, 
which was a rendezvous for law- 
yers in Chaucer's time; O.Fr. 
parvis. 

pas, see paas. 

passe, pace, to pass on, 36; to 
surpass, 448; passant, surpass- 
ing; O.Fr. passer. 

payen, pagan; O.Fr. paien. 

p^cok, peacock, whose feathers 
were in particular request for 
feathering arrows; O.E.pea cocc. 

pees, peace; O.Fr. pais. 

peire. paire, pair, set; O.Fr. pair. 

pekke, to pick; 0.^\.pikka. 

penaunce, penance; O.Fr. pe- 
nance. 

penoun, a triangular pennant 
borne at the end of a lance, 978; 
O.Fr. penon. 

perce, to pierce; O.Fr. percer. 

Perotheus, Pirithous, 1191. 

perrye, jewels, finery ; O.Fr. 
pierrie. 

pers, a dark shade of crimson or 
of blue. The variant of H4 in 
617 is blew. 

persoun, parson, 478; O.Fr. per- 
sone. 

perturben, to disturb, 906; O.Fr. 1 
perturber. 



peyne, pain, 1319; torture, n 33; 

O.Fr. peine. 
peyne, to take trouble, endeavor, 
peynte, to paint; O.Fr. peindre. 
pighte, pret. of picchen, to pitch, 

2689. 
piled, bald, 627 ; cf. O.Fr. 

peler. 
piler, a pillar; O.Fr. piler. 
pilour, a spoiler, 1020; O.Yx.pil- 

leur. 
pilwe-beer, a pillowcase; O.E. 

pyle, * pylwe ; see beer, 
pin cheat, to find fault with; O.Fr, 

pincer. 
Pirrus, Pyrrhus, B 4547. 
pitaunce, a mess of victuals, o , 

other charitable gift, 224; O.Fr 

pitance. 
pitous, compassionate, O.Fr. pi 

to tts. 
place, (?) tourney place, 2399; 

O.Fr. place. 
plat, plain, definite; O.Fr. plat. 
pleiitevoiis, plentiful; O.Fr. pie i 

tivous. 
pl^sannce, pleasure; O.Fr. pic i 

sance. 
pl^sen, to please; O.Fr. plaisir. 
pley, play, pleasure, n 25; O.F. 

plega. 
pleye, pleyen, to play, joke, asms* 

(one's self), 236, 758, 772; O.K. 

plegian. 
pleyn, plain, 790; O.Fr. plant. 
pleyn, full, complete, open, 31.;, 

988; Q.Yx.pleins. 
pleyne, to complain. 
plowman, a small farmer, 529. 



GLOSSARY 



209 



pomelj crown of the head, 2689; 

O.Fr. potnel. 
poniely, dappled, 616; O.Fr. pom- 
met f e. 
poplexye, apoplexy, B4031. 
poraille, poor people, 247; O.Fr. 

pouraille. 
port, behavior, 69; O.Fr. port. 
portreyynge, painting, 1938; cf. 

O.Fr. portraire. 
PQse, to assume, 1162 ; O.Fr. poser. 
poudre marchant, a kind of 

flavoring powder, 381 ; O.Fr. 

poudre marchand. 
poiire, to pore, 185. 
poure, poor; O.Fr. povre. 
powpe, to make a noise with a 

horn, B4589. 
poynaunt, highly seasoned, 

B 4024; Fr. poignant. 
poynt, particle, 1501; in good 

poynt, good looking, 200; O.Fr. 

point. 
praktisour, practitioner, 422. 
preisen, to praise; O.Fr. preiser. 
preeue, proof, B4173. 
presse, (?)curling tongs, 81; O.Fr. 

presse. 
prest, ready; O.Fr. prest. 
preye, to pray; O Fr. preier. 
prikasour, a hard rider, 189. 
prike, to ride, 1043; to incite, 

spur on, to stimulate, 2678; 

O.E. prician. 
prikke, a point, 2606; O.E. pricca. 
prls, price, 815; fame, honor, 67, 

237, 2241; O.Fr. pris. 
priuely, secretly, 652; cf. O.Fr. 

did], p rive. 
P 



propre, own, 581; O.Fr. propre. 

prouen, to prove, prove true, be 
proved, 547; O.Fr. prover. 

prow, advantage, profit, B 4140; 
O.Fr. prou. 

priuetee, privacy, private affairs, 
1 4 1 1 ; O.Fr. privete. 

Prfice, Prussia, 53. 

pryme, the first quarter of the 
time between sunrise and sun- 
set, 2189; O.Fr. prime. 

pulle, to pluck a gull, "pluck a 
pigeon"; O.E. ptdlian. 

pultrye, poultry; O.Fr. poulle- 
terie. 

purchas, profit, proceeds, 256; 
O.Fr. pourchas. 

purchasour, (?) conveyancer, 

318. 

purchasyng, ( ?) conveyancing, 

320. 
purfll, to fringe, 193; O.Fr. pour- 
filer. 
purtreye, portray, draw; O.Fr. 

portraire. 
purueiaunce, foreordination, 

providence, 1665, 301 1; O.Fr. 

porveance. 
pyne, pynen, to torment, grieve, 

torture, 1746; O.E. pinia n. 
pynche, to pleat, 151 ; to pynche 

at, to find fault with, 326; O.Fr. 

pincer. 

Q 

qualm, sickness, disease, 2014; 

O.E. ewe ah) 1. 
quelle, to kill, B 4580; O.E, 

cwellan. 



2IO 



GLOSSARY 



queynte, pret. of quenehen, to 
quench; O.E. (a-^cwencan; cf. 

§175(6). 

queynte, quaint, uncouth; O.Fr. 
co int. 

quik, alive; O.E. cwic. 

quike, to quicken, revive; O.E. 
cwician. 

quitly, without conditions; quitly 
out of prisoun, out of prison 
and free, 1792; cf. O.Fr. quite. 

quod, quoth; O.E. cwepan, § 161. 

quook, pret. of quake, to trem- 
ble; O.E. cwacian. 

quyte, to free; O.Fr. quiter. 

R 

rad, see r«*de. 

rage, a blast of wind, 1985. 
rage, to rage, romp, 257; O.Fr. 

ragier. 
ransake, to search (for plunder), 

1005; O.N. rannsaka. 
rasour, a razor; O.Fr. rasour, 
raughte, pret. of r^che, to reach; 

O.E. rcecan. 
raunsoun, ransom; O.F. raen- 

con. 
Razis, Rhasis, a Spanish-Arabian 

physician of the tenth century, 

43 2 - 

rebel, rebellious; O.Fr. rebelle. 

recehe, pay heed to, direct; O.E. 
reccan. 

recchelees, careless, but the ori- 
ginal sense of the word is " with- 
out direction " or " control," and 
it seems to have this meaning in 
179; O.E. recceleas, 



reconforte, to comfort, 2852; 
O.Fr. reconforter. 

reeorde, to remember, call to 
mind, 829; O.Fr. recorder. 

r§de, to advise, 307 1; interpret, 
B4086; O.E. raidan. 

r«*de, to read, 709; O.E. rcedati. 

redoutynge, fear, reverence, 2050. 

reed, plan, 121 6; source of help, 
665; O.E. rad; cf. Mod. Germ. 
rath. 

reed, red; O.E. read. 

registre, story, narrative ; but ( ?) in 
sense of index or table of con- 
tents in 2812; O.Fr. registre. 

regne, kingdom, 1638; country, 
866; sovereign, 1624 ; O.Fr. 
regne. 

r^nie, realm; O.Fr. reantne. 

reng, rank, 2594; O.Fr. renc. 

renne, to run; O.N. retina ; see 

§ 159. 
rennyng, at a, on the run, 

55 1 - 
rente, income, 256; O.Fr. rente. 
repentaunce, penitence, 1776; 

O.Fr. repentance. 
repplicaeioun, reply, appeal, 

1846. 
rescus, rescue, 2643; O.Fr. res- 

cousse. 
rese, to fall, collapse, 1986; O.E. 

hreosan. 
r^son (o = ou), opinion, 274; 

O.Fr. raisoti. 
resoune, to resound; O.Fr. re- 

sotier. 
rethor, a rhetorician, B 4397; Lat. 

rhetor. 



GLOSSARY 



211 



reue, steward, bailiff, 542; O.E. 

gerefa. 
r^ue, to take away, bereave, 2015; 

O.E. reajian. 
reuerenee, dignity, 305; O.Fr. 

reverence. 
rewe, to have mercy, 1863, to rue; 

O.E. hreowan. 
rewe, on a, in a row, 2866; O.E. 

rcew (fern.). 
reyse, to make a military expedi- 
tion, 54; O.N. reisa. 
richesse, riches; O.Fr. richesse. 
ride, to ride, travel, 48 ; O.E. ridan. 
right a myrie man, a very jolly 

man, 757; cf. right a myrie 

chere, 857. 
rightes, at alle, in all respects; 

O.E. riht. 
rit, 3d pers. sing, of ride, 
roghte (o = ou), pret.of recche. 
Romayns, Romans, B4555. 
roos, pret. of rise, to rise; O.E. 

risan, 
roost, a roast; O.Fr. rost. 
rQte, a stringed instrument, prob- 
ably like a harp; O.Fr. rote. 
rouke, crouch, 1308; cf. Swed. 

ruga, O.N. krfiga. 
rouncy, a farm horse, 390; O.Fr. 

roncin. 
roundel, a kind of song, rondel, 

1529; O.Fr. rondel. 
route, a company, 622; O.Fr. 

route. 
Ruce, Russia, 54. 
riideliche, rudely; O.Fr. rude. 
Rufus, a Greek physician of the 

first century, 430. 



ruggy, rough-coated, shaggy, 2883. 

rumble, tumultuous rushing 
sound, (?) thunder, 1979. (The 
"swymbul" of modern editions 
of Chaucer is obtained by read- 
ing the H4 variant " as wym- 
bul" into "a swymbul" 

Russel, name of a fox, B 2524. 



sad, serious, dignified, 2985; O.E. 
said. 

sadly, firmly, 2602. 

Salamon, Solomon, 1942. 

salue, to salute, 1492 ; Fr. 
saluer. 

Sampsoun, Samson, 2466. 

sangwyn, one of the four ' com- 
plexions ' of mediaeval medicine 
(the others were the choleric, 
phlegmatic, and melancholic) 
* generosity,' * good nature,' 'jol- 
lity,' 'strength,' were some of 
its attendant characteristics, 
333; crimson, 439; O.Fr. san- 
guine. 

sarge, serge, a coarse woollen 
cloth, 2568; O.Fr. sarge, serge. 

Satalye, Adalia in Asiatic Turkey, 
taken by Pierre de Lusignan 
about 1352, 58. 

saufly, safely. 

saugh, pret. of sen. 

sautrye, psaltery; O.Fr. psalerie. 

saue, sage, 2713; O.Fr. sauge, 
Lat. salvia. 

sawe, doctrine, 1526; O.E. sagu. 

say, pret. of sen. 

scaled, scabby, 627. 



212 



GLOSSARY 



Seariot, Judas Iscariot, B 4417. 
scarsly, economically; cf. O.Fr. 

e scars. 
scathe, misfortune, 446 ; O.E. 

sca'da ; O.X. skafii. 
science, knowledge, skill, 316. 
sclendre, slender, slight. 
scoler, scholar; O.E. scolere. 
scoleye, to attend the university, 

to study, 302. 
seche, seke, to seek; O.E. secern-, 

§ 79, 6; seke is originally a 

Northern form. 
seen, to see; O.E. seon. 
seet, sat, pret. of sitte; O.E. s? Man. 
seigh, sey, pret. sing, of sen. 
sek, sick ; O.E. seoc. 
seke, see seche. 
selde, seldom, 1539; O.E. seld. 
sellere, provider, furnisher, 248. 
selue, same, 2584 ; O.E. self. 
sely, simple; O.E. (ge-)siz/?g; cf. 

Mod. Germ, selig. 
semely, seemly, fitting ; O.N. 

slxmiligr. 
semycQpe, a short cope, a gar- 
ment worn by priests, 262 ; Lat. 

semi, O.N. kdpa. 
sendal, a thin silk, 440 ; O.Fr. 

sendal. 
sene, y-sene, visible ; O.E. (ge-) 

sene. 
sentence, sense, meaning, 306 ; 

subject-matter, B 4355; opinion, 

B3992. 
Serapion, an Arabian physician of 

the eleventh century, 432. 
sergeant, a mediaeval law officer ; 

O.Fr. sergant. 



seruage, bondage ; O.Fr. servage. 
seruisable, helpful ; cf. O.Fr. 

service. 
serye, series, story, 3067. 
s^soun, season; O.Yx. saison. 
sethe, to boil ; O.E. sed(5a?i. 
sette, set, appoint ; O.E. settan. 
seurte, surety; O.Fr. senrte. 
sewe, follow, B 4527 ; O. Fr. sewir. 
sey, see seigh. 
seye, to say; O.E. secgan. 
seynd, pret. of senge, to singe, 

(?) smoke (bacon); O.E. sen- 

gan. 
shal, shall, am to, must ; O.E. 

sceal ; see § 185. 
shamfast, modest ; O.E. scam- 
fast. 
shap, form, shape, 1889 ; O.E. 

(ge-) sceap. 
shape, to plan, ordain, 1108; 

shape me, get ready, 809. 
shaply, fit, 372. 
sheeldes, crowns (French), worth 

about 80 cents, 278. 
sheene, bright, beautiful, fair, 160; 

O.E. scene. 
shent, p.p. of shende, to injure, 

destroy; O.E. scendan. 
shepne, stable, 2000; O.E. serpen. 
sh^re, shears, 2417; O.E. sceara. 
sh^re, to shear ; O.E. sceran. 
sherte, a shirt ; O.E. scyrte. 
shet, pret. of shette, to shut ; 

O.E. scyttan. 
shipman, a sailor ; O.E. scip- 

mann. 
shirreue, the executive of a 

county; O.E. scirgerefa. 



GLOSSARY 



213 



sho, a shoe ; O.E. seed. 

shQde (of the head), the parting 

of the hair, (?) temple; O.E. 

sedda. 
shoon, pret. of shine; O.E. 

scinan. 
shortly, briefly, in a word, 30, 

1485 ; cf. O.E. seeort. 
shrewe, to curse, beshrew, 4616. 
shrighte, pret. of shrike, 

shrlehe, to shriek. 
shrlue, shrive, prescribe penance, 

226 ; O.E. scrifan. 
shul, see shal, § 185, 2. 
shyne, shin, leg ; O. E. scin. 
shyuere, shiver, to be shattered, 

2605. 
slk, sick ; see sek. 
sike, to sigh, 1540, 2985; O.E. 

sic an. 
siker, sure, certain, 3049. 
sikerly, certainly, truly, 137. 
siknesse, sickness; O.E. seocnes. 
sit, 3d pres. sing, of sitte ; O.E. 

sit tan. 
sith, sithen, syn, since, after, 

afterward ; ofte sithes, often- 
times, 485 ; O.E. sit), sitffian. 
slak, slack, slow ; O.E. sl<zc. 
slaughtre, a slaughter ; O.N. 

sldtr, earlier slahtr. 
slawe, p.p. of slen. 
sleen, to slay; O.E. s/ean. 
sleighte, craft ; O.N. slcegft 

(fern.), 
slep, pret. of slepe; O.E. slapan. 
slider, slippery; O.E. s/idor. 
slogardye, sloth, 1042. 
slough, slow, pret. of sl<* n. 



slyly, prudently; O.N. sLcgliga. 
sinerte, pret. smerte, used im- 
personally, to pain, hurt ; O.E. 

*smeortan. 
sniQt, pret. of smite, to smite ; 

O.E. smitan. 
snewe, to snow, abound, 345 ; O.E. 

sniwan. 
snybbe, to snub, reprove, 523. 
socour, succor, 918; cf. O.Fr. soc- 

eonrs. 
sodeyn, sudden; sodeynliche, 

sodeynly, suddenly, 1118,1575; 

O.Fr. soudain. 
solaas, mirth, 798; O.Fr. solaz. 
solempnely, pompously, 274. 
solempnytee, feast, 870; O.Fr. 

solemnite. 
soni, some; som . . . som, one 

. . . another, 1255-7; some . . . 

some, some . . . others, 2516 ft.; 

O.E. sum. 
som-d<p, somewhat; O.E. sum, 

dm. 

somer, summer; O.E. sumer. 

somiiour, an officer who sum- 
moned delinquents before ec- 
clesiastical courts, 543; O.Fr. 
semoneor. 

somtyme, on one occasion, 65; 
O.E. sum, fima. 

sondry, various, 14; 0.^.synd?'ig, 

sone, soon; O.E. sdna. 

sone, a son; O.E. sunu. 

sonne, the sun, 7, 863, 1062; 
O.E. sunne. 

soong, pret. of singe, to sing. 

soore, sorely, grievously; cf. O.E. 
sdr. 



214 



GLOSSARY 



soote, sweet, see note. 

sooth, adj., true; sb. t truth, 1521; 

O.E. sot5. 
soothfastnesse, truth, B 4517. 
sop ill wyn, wine with pieces of 

bread or cake broken into it, 334. 
soper, supper; O.Fr. soper. 
sort, chance; O.Fr. sort. 
sorwe, sorrow; O.E. sor/i, obi. 

case stem, sorg-. 
sorweful, sorrowful, 1070; O.E. 

sorg full. 
SQry, sorrowful; O.E. sarig. 
soiitil, subtile, finely made, thin, 

2030; O.Fr. soutil. 
soule, soul; O.E. sawol (fern.). 
soun, sound; O.Fr. son. 
sovereyn, surpassing, 67; O.Fr. 

saver ain. 
Southwerk, 20, a London suburb, 

in Chaucer's time the usual start- 
ing-point for Canterbury. 
sowne, to sound, 565; to tend, 

275; O.Fr. suner, soner. 
space, room, time; O.Fr. espace. 
spak, pret. of sp^ke. 
spare, refrain, abstain from; O.E. 

sparian. 
sparre, a beam, 990, 1076; O.N. 

sparri. 
sparth, battle-axe, 2520; O.N. 

sparfta. 
sparwe, a sparrow; O.E. spearwa. 
special, in, especially, 445; O.Fr. 

special. 
spoken, to speak, tell, 962; O.E. 

spec an. 
sp^re, a spear; O.E. spere. 
sp^re, spur; O.E. spora. 



sprad, p.p. of spr^de, to spread; 
O.E. spr&dan. 

sprenge, to sprinkle, 2169; O.E. 
sprengan. 

squier, a squire; O.Fr. esqvier. 

staat, in good, in good condi- 
tion, in good shape, 572. 

Stace, Statius, 2294. 

stal, pret. of st^le, to steal ; O.E. 
stela 71. 

stape, p.p. of steppe, to go, pro- 
ceed (see § 162, note 5); s. in 
age, advanced in years, B 401 1. 

starf, pret. of sterue, 933. 

startlynge, skittish, 1502. 

statue, statue, picture, 975. 

steme, shine, glow; O.E. sterna;?. 

stenten, stop; O.E. styntan. 

st^pe, bold; when used with ' eye ' 
as in 201 it means 'prominent,' 
'protruding'; O.E. steap. 

sterre, star; O.E. steorra. 

sterte, to start; O.N. sterta. 

sterue, to die; O.E. steorfan. 

steuen, appointment; at unset 
steuene (dat.), unexpectedly, 
1524; O.E. stefn (masc). 

steuene, voice B 4481; O.E. stefn 
(fern.). 

stewe, fish-pond, 350; M.L.G. 
stonwe. 

stille, secretly, 1003; O.E. stille. 

stith, an anvil, 2026; cf. O.N. 
stetii. 

stiward, steward; O.E. stiweard. 

st^ke, to stab, 2546. 

stonde, to stand; O.E. standan. 

stonge, p.p. of stinge, to pierce; 
O.E. stingan. 



GLOSSARY 



215 



stoon, stone; 6.E. stdn. 

stoor, farm stock, 598; telle no 
stoor, set no sto*e by, consider 
of small value, B 4344; O.Fr. 
esior. 

stot, a cob, horse, hack. 

stounde, a moment, 121 2; O.E. 
stund (fern.). 

stout, brave, 2154; (?) proud, 
545; M.L.G. stout. 

straughte, pret. of strecche; 
O.E. streccan. 

straunge, foreign ; O.Fr. es- 
trange. 

strecche, to stretch; O.E. strec- 
can. 

stree, straw, 2918; O.E. streaw, 
stre. 

str^m, current, 402; sea, 464; ray 
of light, 1495; O.E. stream. 

strepe, to strip, 1006; cf. O.E. stry- 
pan, 

streit, narrow, stinted, close, 174; 
O.Fr. estreit. 

streyne, to constrain. 

strike, hank, 676. 

strQf, pret. of strive; O. Fr. 
estriver, 

strond, strand; O.E. strand. 

stiibb, stump (of a tree), 1978; 
O.E. stybb. 

sty rite, 281 1; see stente. 

subtil, light, graceful, 1054; O.Fr. 
soutil. 

subtilly, craftily, 610. 

suftisaunce, sufficiency, compe- 
tence. 

suflisaunt, sufficient; O.Fr. sujfi- 
sant. 



surcQte, an upper coat, surcoat, 

617; O.Fr. surcote. 
sust^ne, to sustain ; O.Fr. sustenir. 
suster, sister; O.E. swustor, sweo- 

stor. 
sweete, pleasant, 2427 ; O.E. 

swete. 
swelte, to faint, 1356; O.E. sweltan. 
swerd, sword; O.E. sweord. 
sw«*re, to swear; O.E. siverian. 
sweuene, a dream ; O.E. swefn 

(fern.). 
swieh, such; O.E. swylc. 
swough, a raging wind, hurricane, 

storm, 1979. 
swowne, to swoon; O.E. swogan. 
swynken, to labor, toil ; O.E. 

swincan. 
swynkere, laborer, 531. 
syk, a sigh, 11 17; O.E. sic, 
syn, see sith. 



taas, heap, 1005; O.Fr. tas. 

tabard, a rough blouse or coat 
worn by laborers; O.Fr. tabard. 

Tabard, a Southwark inn, so 
called from its signboard, a ta- 
bard or sleeveless coat. It was 
known as "The Talbot" in 
Speght's time, and is described 
in his edition of Chaucer, 1687. 

taffata, thin silk, 440; O.Fr. 
taffetas. 

taille, by, on account ; O. Fr. 
taille. 

takel, archer's implements, 106; 
cf. M.L.G. takel. 

Talbot, a dog's name, B 4573. 



2l6 



GLOSSARY 



tale, speech; O.E. talu. 

tale, to telle litel, to pay little 

attention to; B 4308. 
tale, to tell stones, 723; O.E. 

tali an. 
tappestere, a tavern keeper, 241 ; 

O.E. tappestre. 
tapycer, an upholsterer, 362 ; 

O.Fr. tap icier. 
targe, a small shield, 471 ; O.Fr. 

targe. 
Tars, Tarsus, 2160. 
t^che, to teach, conduct, B 4139; 

O.E. tcecan. 
temple, a college of law, one of 

the inns of court, 567; O.Fr. 

te tuple. 
tene, annoyance; O.E. teona. 
terciane, tertian (fever) ; B4149. 
terme, in termes, precisely, ex- 
actly, 323. 
testere, a helmet, 2499; O.Fr. 

testiere. 
text, an oft-cited passage, either 

from the fathers or from the 

Bible, 177; O.Fr. texte. 
thankes, his, for his part, 1626, 

21 14; see § 122. 
thee, to thrive, prosper; O.E. 

peon. 
th^r, th^rc, there, where, 1392; 

thither, 34; O.E. peer. 
thigrwithal, with it, 566. 
thider, thither ; O.E. pider. 
thikke, thick-set, stocky, 549. 
thilke, that same, that, 1193, 

2383 ; O.E. fie ilea. 
thirle, to pierce, 2710; O.E. 

pyrlian. 



this, this is ; see § 273. 
thQ, those, 2351 ; see § 136. 
thombe, thumb, 563; O.E. pii/na, 

with inorganic " b " and short- 
ening, §88 (b). 
thonder, thunder, 492 ; O.E. 

punor, with inorganic " d." 
thral, slave, thrall, 1552; O.E. 

prccl. 
thresshe, to thrash; O.E. prescan, 
tli reste, to thrust ; O.N. prysla. 
thridde, third; O.E. pridda. 
thryes, thrice; O.E. priga 4 es. 
thurgh, thuruh, through; O.E. 

purJi. 
thurgh-fare, a thorough-fare; 

O.E. purh-fare. 
thyng, rite, business, B 4279; in- 
struments (in legal sense), 325; 

O.E. ping. 
thynketh, it seems (impersonal) ; 

O.E. pyncan. 
tQ (pi. tQn, tQS, see § 105), toe. 

O.E. td. 
tobreste, to burst apart, break 

in pieces; 261 1. 
tobrosten, see tobreste. 
toh<*wen, to cut to pieces, 2609; 

O.E. heawan. 
tollen, to take payment in kind, 

562; O.N. tolla. 
tonge, tongue; O.E. tunge. 
tonne-greet, as big as a tun, 1994; 

O.E. tunne, great. 
tool, weapon, B 4106 ; O.E. toL 
top, head, 590; O.E. topp. 
toshr^de, to cut in shreds, 2609. 
toiin, town; O.E. tilti. 
tour, tower; O.Fr. lur. 



GLOSSARY 



217 



touret, turret, 1909; a swivel- 
ring, 2152; O.Fr. tourette. 

trace, a path, a way ; O.Fr. 
trace. 

Trace, Thrace, 2129. 

Tramyssene, Tremessen, accord- 
ing to Froissart — see note on 
Belmarye, 62. 

trapped, having trappures or 
trappings; O.E. trceppan. 

trappures, trappings of a horse, 
2499. 

trays, the traces of a harness, 
2139. 

tr^de, to tread; O.E. tredan. 

tr^soun, treason; O.Fr. traison. 

trespas, trespass; O.Fr. trespas. 

tr^tee, treaty; Fr. traite. 

tr^tys, well-proportioned, shapely; 
O.Fr. traitis. 

trewe, true; O.E. treowe. 

trompe, trumpet, a trumpeter, 
2671 ; O.Fr. trompe. 

tronckoun, the shaft of a spear; 
O.Fr. tronchon. 

trouthe, truth, 763; O.E. treowfi 
(fern.). 

trowe, to trow, think; cf. O.E. treo- 
wian. 

Turkeys, Turkish. 

turneiynge, a tournament, 2557. 

tweye, two, 898; O.E. twegen. 

tweyne, twain, 11 34. 

twQ, two, 639 ; O.E. twd (neut. 
of twegen) . 

twynne, to depart, separate. 

tyde, time; O.E. tid (fern.). 

typet, a tippet, the hanging part 
of a monk's sleeve, 233. 



V ( Vowel, see § 6) . 

vndergrowe, small of stature, 
156; O.E. under, growan. 

vndertake, to warrant; I vnder- 
take, I assure you, 288; O.E. 
under, O.N. taka. 

vndren, vndern, the second 
quarter of the time between 
sunrise and sunset, i.e. from 
9 a.m. to noon. But in B 4412 
equivalent to noon. 

vnkonuynge, ignorant, inexpe- 
rienced, 2393; cf. O.E. cun- 
nian. 

vnkowth, strange, unusual, 2497; 
O.E. uncut). 

vuset, not agreed upon, 1524; 
O.E. un, sett. 

vnwist, unknown. 

vnyQlden, not having surren- 
dered, 2642. 

vphaf. pret. of vph^ue, uplifted. 

vpon, on penalty of, 1344. 

vprlgkt, face upward, 2008; O.E. 
upriht. 

vprlst, sonne vpriste, sunrise 
105 1; cf. O.E. up, risan. 

vpsQdoun, upside down, 1377 ; 
O.E. tip, siva, dun. 

vp yaf (pret. of vp-y^ue, to give 
up), 2427; O.E. up, giefan, 

vsage, custom, practice; O.Fr. 
usage. 

vttirly, openly, frankly, 1 1 54. 

V ( Consonant) 

vanysshynge, made a, disap- 
peared, 2360. 



2li 



GLOSSARY 



vauasour, 360, see note ; O.Fr. 

vavasour. 
venerye, hunting; Fr. venerie. 
venim, venom; O.Fr. venin. 
ventusynge, cupping, 2747; O. 

Fr. ventouser. 
vernicle, a small copy of the ve- 
ronica picture of Christ in Rome. 

Cf. Century Dictionary. 
verray, very, true; O.Fr. verai. 
verraily, truly, 338. 
vertu, efficacy. 
vertuous, efficacious. 
vestimentz, vestments; O.Fr. ves- 

timent. 
veyne-blood, blood-letting, 2747. 
viage, a journey; O.Fr. viage. 
vigilies, 377; see note. 
vileinye, coarseness, boorishness; 

O.Fr. vilainie. 
vitaille, victuals; O.Fr. vitaille. 
voirdlt, sentence, opinion, 787; 

O.Fr. verdit. 
vouche-sauf, to guarantee, 807 ; 

consent, 812; O.Fr. voucher, 

sauf. 
voyden, to expel, 275 1 ; O.Fr. vui- 

dier. 

W 

wake-pleyes,the M.E. equivalent 
of the classic ' funeral games,' 
2960; O.K. wacu, plega. 

wan, pret. of winne. 

wanh^pe, despair; O.E. wan, 
hopa. 

wan town, sportive, gay; O.E. wan 
+ togen, p.p. of tean. 

wanye, to wane, diminish, 2078; 
O.E. wanian. 



Avar, prudent; I "was war, I 
noticed, 896; [be] war [to] 
him (himself), ' be on his guard 
against,' 662; O.E. war. 

Ware, in Hertfordshire, 692. 

waterlees, ' out of the water,' 1 80 ; 
O.E. water, las. 

Watte, 'Wat,' short for Walter, 

643. 
wawe, wave; O.E. wagu. 
wayke, weak, 887; worthless; 

O.N. veikr. 
waylaway, alas ! alack ! 
waymenting, lamentation; O.Fr. 

gvai?ne?iter. 
wayte, to look, expect, 525; to plan, 

571; O.Fr. waiter. 
webbe, a weaver; O.E. webba. 
werl, security; to wedde (dat.), 

in pawn, as a pledge, 1218; O.E. 

wedd. 
w(*de, clothing; O.E. wade. 
weele, 2231; wel, well, very, much, 

fully, 24; surely, 505; O.E. wel. 
w§Ie, good fortune, wealth; been 

in hir w^le, are merry, 2673; 

O.E. we la. 
welle, spring, fountain ; O.E. wella. 
wende, to go; O.E. wendan. 
w^pne, weapons, 1591 ; O.E. wap- 

nu. 
w^re, to defend, guard; O.E. we- 

rian. 
w^red, pret. of w^re, to wear. 
werken, wirchon, to work, 779, 

2759; Q.E.weorcian, wyrcean. 
werre, war, 1287; O.Fr. werre. 
werreye, to war against, 1484, 

1 544 ; O.Fr. gverroier. 



GLOSSARY 



219 



werte, a wart, 555; O.E. wea?-te. 
wessh, pret. of wasshe, to wash; 

O.E. vjascan. 
wex, wax; O.E. weax. 
wexe, to increase, grow; O.E. 

weax an. 
wey, weye, a way; O.E. weg. 
weye, to weigh, 1781 ; O.E. 

wegan. 
weyle, to wail, 1 221 ; cf. O.N. vaila. 
whan, whanne, when, 18, 179; 

O.E. hzvcemie, hwanne. 
what, why; O.E. hwcet. 
wheither, introductory particle for 

direct questions, 1 125; which of 

two, 1857; O.E. hwc&Ser. 
whelkes, pimples, pustules, 632. 
whelp, puppy, 257; O.E. hwelp. 
wher, whether. 

whiche, which, what kind (of per- 
sons), 40; which a, what a, 

2675 ; O.E. hwilc. 
whilom, formerly, once upon a 

time, 859, 2403; O.E. hivllum 

(dat. pi.). 
whippeltre, cornel tree. 
widwe, a widow; O.E. widuwe. 
wif, wife, woman, 234, 445; O.E. 

wif. 
wight, a person; O.E. wiht. 
wighte, weight; O.E. (ge-)wi/it. 
wikke, wicked, evil (of planetary 

influences), 1087; cf. O.E. 

wlcan. 
wille, pleasure, 131 7; O.E. willa. 
wilne, to desire; O.E. wilnian. 
wiltow, wilt thou, 1 156. 
wirche, see werken. 
wisly, surely, 2234. 



wit, intelligence, judgment ; O.E. 

witt. 
with, by, 2018; O.E. wif?. 
withhQlde, maintain, 511; O.E. 

wif? heal dan. 
withdwten, besides, not to speak 

of, 461; O.E. wi^iitan. 
withseyn, withseye, to oppose, 

1 140 ; O.E. w if secgan. 
wityng, knowledge, 161 1. 
wlatsom, hateful, loathsome, 

B 4243 ; cf. O.E. wlcetta. 
wq, woo, woe, 2624 ; lament, 900 ; 

O.E. wd. 
wode, wood; O.E. wudu. 
wodebynde, woodbine, 1508; 

O.E. wudubinde. 
wol, wole, another form of wil, 

§ 187; O.E. willan. 
woltow = wolt thou, 
wommanhede, womanhood; for 

verray wommanhede, 'be- 
cause she was a true woman,' 

1748 ; see § 122. 
wonder, very, wondrous, 2073; 

O.E. wundor. 
wonderly, wonderfully ; O.E. 

wundorlice. 
wone, habit, 335 ; O.E. (ge-)zvuna. 
wonne, conquered ; O.E. winne. 
wonyng, a house, dwelling ; O.E. 

warning. 
wood, crazy, mad, 582, 1329 ; 

O.E. 7vod. 
wook, awoke ; pret. of wake ; 

O.E. wacan. 
woot, know; see § 185; O.E. wat. 
worse, worse, 1224; O.E. wiersa. 
worship, honor ; O.E. wyrfiscipe. 



220 



GLOSSARY 



worshipe, to honor, to pay proper 
respect to, 2251. 

worstede, worsted, 262. 

wort, herb, vegetables, 441 1; 
O.E. wyrt 

worthynesse, knightly excellence, 
50. 

worthy, brave, 47, 68 ; excellent, 
279; substantial, 217; cf. O.E. 
wyrfi. 

WQSt, 2d per. of wot. 

wrastle, to wrestle, 2961 ; O.E. 
wraistlian. 

wreeche, a wretch, wretched, 
1 106 ; O.E. w?'ecca. 

wr^ke, to revenge; O.E. wrecan. 

wrie, to cover, 2904 ; O.E. wri- 
gan ; see § 154, note I. 

wrighte, carpenter, 614 ; O.E. 
wyrhta. 

writ, 3d sing, of write; see § 177. 

wyd, wide, 491, 557; O.E. wid. 

wyke, a week ; O.E. wice. 

wympul, wimple, a head cover- 
ing, 151. See the picture of one 
in the Century Dictionary. 

wympele, to cover with a wim- 
ple, 470. 

wys, wise ; O.E. wis. 

wys, surely, 2786, B 4598; O.E. 
wiss(-tice). 

wyse, mode, manner ; O.E. wise. 



y-, past participle forms beginning 
with i- or y- must be sought 
under the present stem form. 

yaf, pret. of y^ue, see § 161, 
note 3. 



y-brent, p.p. of brenne. 

y-corue, p.p. of kerue. 

ye, yhe, eye, see § 69 (c) ; O.E. 

cage. 
yeddyng, song, metrical romance ; 

O.E. gieddyng. 
yeerd, yard, B4156; O.E. geard. 
yeldhalle, a guild-hall; O.E.gield- 

heall. 
yelde, to yield; O.E. gieldan. 
yelpe, to boast; O.E. gielpan. 
yelow, yelwe, yellow; O.E.geolo. 
y^man, a yeoman. 
yerde, rod, a yard (measure), 

1050; O.E. gierdj^tem.). 
y^ue, to give; O.E. giefan. 
y-g'Q> gone, passed, see gQ. 
yhe, see ye. 
yif, imper. of y^ue. 
yifte, a gift; O.E. gift (fern.). 
yiue, to give, 225; see § 161. 
y-lad, p.p. of l^de (to lead), one 

of whose meanings is ' carry,' 

'haul,' 530. 
y-laft, p.p. of l^uen, to leave. 
y-liche, alike, 2526; O.E. gelica. 
Ylioun, Ilium, B 4546. 
ylyk, alike; O.E. gelic. 
y-meynd, p. p. of menge, see 

§175(7). 
ynogh (o = ou), enough, 373; 

O.E. genoh. 
y^lden, p.p. of yelde; O.E. 

gi eld a 71. 
yond, yonder; O.E. geond. 
yong, young, 7, 79, 213; O.E. 

giu?ig, geong. 
ygre, a long time ago, 181 3; O.E. 

gear a. 



GLOSSARY 



221 



youlyng, yelling, 1278; cf. O.N. 

gaula. 
Ypocras, Hippocrates, 431. 
Ypolita, Hippolyte, 868. 
Ypres, a city in West Flanders, 

famous for its weaving, 448. 
y-raft, p. p. of r^uen; O.E. 

reafian. 
y-ronne, run, clustered, 2165; 

coagulated, 2693; p.p. of ren- 

nen. 
ysene, visible; O.E. gesene. 



y-shorn, p p. of sh^ren. 
y-shriue, shriven, p.p. of shriue; 

O.E. scrifan. 
y-slayn, slain, 2708; p.p. of sl^n. 
y-spreynd, p.p. of sprenge, see 

§175(7). 
y-storue, pp. of steruen. 
y-teyd, p.p. of teye, tye, to tie; 

O.E. tiegan, § 69 (c). 
yuele, illy, n 27; O.E. yfele. 
y- wis, surely; O.E. gewiss. 
y-wroght, p.p. of werken. 



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